Assimilation

as·sim·i·late /v. əˈsɪməˌleɪt; n. əˈsɪməlɪt, -ˌleɪt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[v. uh-sim-uh-leyt; n. uh-sim-uh-lit, -leyt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, -lat·ed, -lat·ing, noun
–verb (used with object) 1. to take in and incorporate as one's own; absorb 2. to bring into conformity with the customs, attitudes, etc., of a group, nation, or the like; adapt or adjust. 7. to be or become absorbed.
8. to conform or adjust to the customs, attitudes, etc., of a group, nation, or the like: 10. to bear a resemblance (usually fol. by to or with). (edited; full definition found at dictionary.com)

Do we knitters cause our partners to assimilate?

I was listening to a podcast the other day (forgive me, I forgot which one) and the speaker was talking while watching the Oscars (yes it was an old podcast as well). And while the TV was showing various stars, the husband said: That Will Ferrell is a feral actor.
To which the podcaster replied: Is that a knitting joke? (she had knitting on the brain)
And he immediately picked up on it and said: Not Fair Isle, feral as in wild.

And it made me wonder, how much of our knitting paraphernalia is unknowingly absorbed by our spouses/partners. I know JP would know what a WIP is, or even a DPN, he would understand "knitting in the round" and know the difference between crochet and knitting.

I often think we are a quiet and unassuming bunch, but perhaps we're just very subtle about it? Knitting may often be a solitary activity but we usually do it in the presence of our families who may, from time to time, express (or fake) an interest in our project. Unlike fishermen (insert hobby/sport/trade here) who have lots of trinkets and tools for their hobby, they usually have to leave the house to do so, so unless you traipse along to the river or the lake, you might not be aware of all the gadgets and bobbles involved. But with fibre arts, we're often doing it in the car or in the living room and our families unknowingly become aware of all our craft/hobby effects.

So maybe conduct your own experiment and tell me, how much does your spouse/partner know? You might be pleasantly surprised.