As to "nitty-gritty", Michael Quinion, the language guru, issues a weekly language e-mail with comments about various language matters, called World-Wide Words. Part of it is a Q and A section, and a reader asked about this nitty-gritty rumor.

He points out (along with other observations) that the expression is only found from about 1950, and it seems inconceivable that the expression could have been around so long and only surface in print in 1950.

To read his fuller coverage, here's the link to his website, where his comments are archived: Michael Quinion archive on nitty-gritty

If you are an English-language nut, like me, you could do worse than to sign up for his free weekly newsletter. You can do that at his site.

Dave Oesterreich