You can hear different conversations every day. Often, you can recognize some phrases that have also been used by people for decades. “Earn your salt” is just one of those popular phrases and idiomatic expressions that you might have heard to people talking with each other especially a conversation between those who are making their living from the water. Is there a question that pops in your mind when you heard this phrase? Have you ever thought about the real meaning or where does this phase come from?Well, if you research on “Earn your Salt”, there are a lot of informative and interesting information that you can obtain. One account suggested that the phrase “earn your salt” has a root on the times of the ancient Romans and the derivation of the phase could date back before the time of 900 BC. In those times, the Roman armies are paid for the labor in salarium which was an allowance in order to buy salt.
Salt was regarded as one of the most significant spices long ago and it is still true today. It was also regarded as a compound that is significant to the human health. In that era, the word soldier literally meant ‘the one who is paid in salt.’
For various years, the word ‘salarium’ was the shortened. In today’s English Language, it is what people call salary. Then, when you say that someone earn his or her salt, you are actually saying that he/she is worthy of the wages that he/she earns, but this can also denote an individual who is worthy of admiration or respect.“Earn your salt” can always be defined in simple terms. It can be understood by people. “Earn your salt”, also known as “worth your salt,” when taken to its original meaning, someone who worth his pay. This phrase is an American English idiom, which had drawn the interest of people, especially those linguists.
Some account also provide a more comprehensive definition of the phrase. According to those accounts, it means that an individual is able to provide his/her capabilities to earn respect from other people. As mentioned above, this expression is actually used most particularly to speak of divers, lifeguards, surfers and others who are making their living from the water.There is no doubt to say that “earn your salt” is highly interesting expression. For that reason, a lot of people have been looking for the origin of the phrase. If you search more about this American English idiom, you will find that most explanations of this roots lead to the Roman practice, however, it is important to note that the use of this spices as a barter material has been practiced in different empires all over the world.
