During the sixth century B.C., exiles from the island of Samos traveled to Sparta looking for aid. As was the custom in Greece, they made a long and flowery speech justifying their need. They then waited for the Spartans to rule on their request, but one Spartan said that he did not remember the first half of the speech and did not understand the second half. The exiles stood there for a moment and then left to plan their next step.

The next day, they came back again carrying an empty grain sack. They said, “The sack needs grain.”  The chief Spartan said, “There was no need to say, “the sack.” and gave them grain.

That is why the word Laconic is brought to us from the Spartans.

Source: Impossible Histories by Hal Johnson