Trivia

Men in textile work centuries ago shrank woolen fabric and pounded it smooth with a technique called “fulling,” root of the surname “Fuller.”

All mammals have tongues.

Q. In e-mail, what does “BTW” mean?

A. “By the way.” Early e-mailers liked coded cliches. Some still do. “TTYL” for “talk to you later.” “FWIW” for “for what it’s worth.” A little like the special vernacular of the old citizens-band talkers.

Original name of Jimmy Dean, singer of country and seller of sausage, is listed in the semisecret sources as Seth Ward.