pater

He could also rail against the U.K.’s upper crust, as in this crisp but savage portrait of a privileged guy eager to “grab his father’s loot when pater passes on.”

The novel recounts the history and hardships of the Binewski clan, carnival folk whose pater- and materfamilias, Al and Crystal Lil, create their own freak show.

For instance, we find closely matching terms in Latin with "pater," Sanskrit's "pitar" and in Greek with "patér" – all older languages that developed separately from the Germanic line.

Most of the family members are there in merely supporting roles for the pater familias, although Don Jr might fancy a political career in the wake of daddy’s second – or third – term.

The line “Strangled by the wishes of pater” is my dad screaming at me: “When are you going to get a decent job? Tidy up after yourself!”