These actions have arcane names like braking, retting, swingling {or scutching}, and hackling or heckling, but essentially they involve pounding, stripping, soaking, and otherwise separating the pliant inner fiber, or bast, from its woodier stem. It is striking to think that when we heckle a speaker today we use a term that recalls the preparation of flax from the early Middle Ages.
The text discusses the ancient processes involved in preparing flax, which include actions with unusual names such as braking, retting, and heckling. These methods are designed to separate the soft inner fiber, known as bast, from the tougher stem of the plant. This historical context highlights how these traditional techniques were vital for producing materials like linen, emphasizing the labor-intensive nature of early textile production.
Interestingly, the term "heckle," commonly used today to describe interruptions during speeches, traces its origins to the flax preparation process. This connection draws a fascinating parallel between medieval textile practices and modern language, illustrating how language evolves while still holding echoes of earlier practices. Author Bill Bryson invites readers to reflect on the continuity of human activity, even as specific meanings and contexts shift over time.
