Centuries ago, monks who took a vow of silence still had to communicate about routine matters, from gardening to equipment repair. So they developed their own sign language, with hundreds of gestures for various words and ideas. Plus, how do speakers of different languages identify similar colors such as red, yellow, and blue in various languages? It's complicated! And: you don't really need those little rivets on your blue jeans, do you? Those flat metal disks are leftovers from an earlier time, when jeans were worn by mine workers and cowboys. There's a word for decorative elements that no longer serve a practical purpose: skeuomorphs. All that, along with butter of antimony, vein vs. vain, sugar of lead, euchred figs, two bits, mess and gaum, an apt nickname for a garbage disposal, and a quiz about family secrets!

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