From Don Delillo's 'Underworld':

With his finger he traced a strip of leather that went across the top edge of the shoe and dipped down under the lace. “What is it?” I said. “You tell me. What is it?” “I don’t know.” “It’s the cuff.” “The cuff.” “The cuff. And this stiff section over the heel. That’s the counter.” “That’s the counter.” “And this piece amidships between the cuff and the strip above the sole. That’s the quarter.” “The quarter,” I said. “And the strip above the sole. That’s the welt. Say it, boy.” “The welt.” “How everyday things lie hidden. Because we don’t know what they’re called. What’s the frontal area that covers the instep?” “I don’t know.” “You don’t know. It’s called the vamp.” “The vamp.” “Say it.” “The vamp. The frontal area that covers the instep. I thought I wasn’t supposed to memorize.” “Don’t memorize ideas. And don’t take us too seriously when we turn up our noses at rote learning. Rote helps build the man. You stick the lace through the what?” “This I should know.” “Of course you know. The perforations at either side of, and above, the tongue.” “I can’t think of the word. Eyelet.” “Maybe I’ll let you live after all,” “The eyelets.” “Yes. And the metal sheath at each end of the lace.” He flicked the thing with his middle finger. “This I don’t know in a million years.” “The aglet.” “Not in a million years.” “The tag or aglet.” “The aglet,” I said. “And the little metal ring that reinforces the rim of the eyelet through which the aglet passes. We’re doing the physics of language, Shay.” “The little ring.” “You see it?” “Yes.” “This is the grommet,” he said. “Oh man.” “The grommet. Learn it, know it and love it.” “I’m going out of my mind.” “This is the final arcane knowledge. And when I take my shoe to the shoemaker and he places it on a form to make repairs—a block shaped like a foot. This is called a what?” “I don’t know.” “A last.” “My head is breaking apart.” “Everyday things represent the most overlooked knowledge. These names are vital to your progress. Quotidian things. If they weren’t important, we wouldn’t use such a gorgeous Latinate word. Say it,” he said. “Quotidian.”