Friend called me "salt of the earth" - compliment or not?

[ruthyrubie1029]

I always thought it was patronising but said in a nice way??

Er no - it's a huge compliment. Means they think you are one of the best people around.

I thought compliment. Genuine, reliable, honest, good person.

I thought it meant genuine and reliable.

Compliment. Decent, reliable and hard working

Its a compliment.

Big compliment. Not one you hear too much any more, either.

Patronising? I've never knowingly heard it used that way.

Trustworthy, reliable, honest, down to earth. It's a good thing.

A compliment. You are reliable, dependable; you're not flighty, or hard work, you're a joy to be around.

Massive compliment.

To be honest I've always found it deeply patronising, the sort of thing middle class people say about working class people. Essentially 'a bit rough but nice despite it'

One of the highest compliments you can be given!

yeah stitchy that was what I thought. im well spoken and not 'rough', friend is similar.

@stitchy

To be honest I've always found it deeply patronising, the sort of thing middle class people say about working class people. Essentially 'a bit rough but nice despite it'

Agree with this. A bit, “heart of gold” usually preceded by “but”. However, one to one from a friend, I wouldn’t take it as anything other than a compliment - unless it was accompanied by a very obvious sneer!

To be honest I've always found it deeply patronising, the sort of thing middle class people say about working class people. Essentially 'a bit rough but nice despite it'

^ This. I've only ever heard it used in that context.

I'd think of it as the opposite of stitchy - someone who perhaps comes across as well spoken or middle class or whatever but is in fact down to earth.

A rough diamond is more patronising I think

I would think dependable and reliable which are good.

Where I am, it’s a back handed compliment. We’d say it if someone was a nice person, kind etc but a bit “rough”

Means you’re the best of the best where I come from :-)

Salt of the earth means a good and honest person.

Ah now I can shed a different light on this, round here we say it to mean people think they are very important, self aggrandising, big fish small pool. Its an "Eastenders" type of thing (fing) - "e's the salt a de erf". Almost like reverse snobbery?

would think it a massive compliment. Reliable, trustworthy, great person to be around - never heard the "rough" connotations here.

I think people who are "salt of the earth" probably are a bit rough round the edges, it wouldn't be said about someone posh, but it does genuinely mean a good, decent person.

I think it does have a slight feel of, ooh, you're one of those downtrodden working class types who despite adversity manages to remain kind and dependable and know your place.

Salt of the earth is a compliment. I’d use it to describe someone who is decent, honest and unpretentious.