Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Word Origins one. The title of today's lesson
is idioms related to salt and you know, you find out here that salt actually
originally refers to money or refers to value. So that's what the origin comes
from. So let's take a look at the note. In the past before the Roman Empire
introduced silver or gold coins salt was the main currency. Roman soldiers were
paid in solarium or salt money. The origin of the word salary actually
derives from salt. It comes from salt. So salt was so valuable at that time
because of course that was one of the only ways to keep food fresh.
There were no refrigerators. There was no way to refrigerate food. So salt was the
main preservative. So if you wanted to keep food for a longer period of time
you needed salt. So salt was very valuable. So soldiers were actually paid
in salt. They were paid in bags of salt. That's how valuable salt was. So that's
why all of these idioms that we cover today. We cover four idioms. They all have
the word salt in them and this is why salt sometimes refer to either money or
value in some way. So let's take a look look at the first idiom we have here. To
take something with a grain of salt. All right. So what does this mean ? If you
take something with a grain of salt, you mean that he or she should not believe
it or put much value in it because it may not be true or accurate . Now remember
a grain of salt, one grain is one little tiny piece of salt. So if you just had
one little tiny piece of salt, even in the Roman Empire that was not worth much
money. So we mean that you shouldn't put value in what this person says. So
that's why we actually say the phrase to take something with a grain of salt.
Don't put much of value in what they say. Don't assume that it's accurate. Just
kind of take it very lightly. That's what we mean with this phrase to take
something with a grain of salt. So let's look at one example. We give for this
idiom. Don't pay much attention to what he told you. You should take everything
he says with a grain of salt. Don't put much value in it. Okay good.
Let's look at the second idiom. No person worth their salt would do something.
Again no person worth their value or money would do this particular thing. So
what does it mean ? No person especially of a particular profession. So you might
say no photographer or no teacher or whatever would do this particular thing
who deserves respect would take part in such an activity. All right. We do have
one example here. No journalist worth his or her salt would write such a
one-sided biased article. Yeah a professional journalist is supposed to
be fair. They're supposed to you know just report things the way, the way they
see it or the way they're supposed to look at both sides. They're supposed to
be kind of neutral. At least initially they're supposed to at least say what
both sides mean or what both sides present. They're not supposed to just
write all completely towards one side and completely knock or criticize the
other side. So that's what we would say no journalists worth his or her salt
would write this article. So if they do this it makes them look bad. It doesn't
make them look like really a professional or fair journalist. All
right. Let's look at number three. Salt of the earth. Okay what does that
mean ? Someone who is the salt of the earth is the most worthy of people,
especially someone who is good-hearted and dependable. In this way we say that
they are a person of high standing or high value especially in their behavior
and in their you know their belief in morals and integrity. Something like that.
we would we'd say somebody is the salt of the earth. So let's look at one
example we have here. Bob is the salt of the earth. You can count on him to judge
fairly. I don't know anyone who has a higher
sense of morals. Okay So again you put all , you put value in
this person . You think this person is worthy. So again this is where the idea
comes from. It all comes from the origin of salt in the Roman Empire being money.
All right. Let's look at number four. Oh this one can either be earn one's keep
or earn ones salt. All right so again salt almost being like money again. If someone
earns their keep or salt they deserve whatever they are paid. So you think
they're well worth the money of what they're paid because they did such a
good job. They did such a high-quality job. They're worth whatever you're paying
them. They are worth their salt. Again salt meaning money. Okay let's just give
one last example for this one. You won't find a harder worker. He is worth
his salt. So again this is where the origin of this comes from. It comes all the
way back from the Roman Empire using salt as a currency to mean like
money or value in something. Okay. Anyway, I hope you got it. I hope you enjoyed
it. I hope it was informative. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.