Did You Know?

A fugleman (adapted from the German Flügelmann, literally "wing man" but commonly meaning "file leader") was originally a soldier posted in front of a line of soldiers to serve as a model in their drill exercises. Today, with its more figurative meaning, the word is often used pejoratively as a synonym of "mouthpiece" or "ringleader." "Fugleman" is by no means a common word, but it does appear in the occasional newspaper article.