This book was the original conception of Edwin Radford, who, among other activities as an author and journalist, found time to edit for some years the 'Live Letters' feature column of the Daily Mirror. During that time he received thousands of letters asking "Why do we say it?" and spent many hours in research to find the fascinating answer. This book was the result of his studies, a unique analysis of the language we speak rather than the language of books - what people really say and the reasons why. Now enjoying his active retirement too much to devote the time to the revision necessary since the years of its first publication, he has entrusted the task to a colleague, Alan Smith.