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

[ruthyrubie1029]

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

So WC people are looked on as common?

0ooh this is really interesting! I've used it before as a genuine compliment.

Never realised it might be seen as patronising/ or to do with class

I thought it meant common as muck but heart of gold.

A teacher at school called me 'salt of the earth'. Even at that young age I knew it was a backhanded compliment. Shorthand for 'boringly dependable'.
She was right though, I grew up to be an Accountant.

@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'

You couldn't be more wrong if you tried. It absolutely does not mean that at all.

@Tenyearsgone

So if someone called a MC person 'salt of the earth' they would be offended to be mistaken for a WC person?

I'd say not, I'd take it as they didn't fulfil negative ideas of what people were expecting them to be like. Maybe expecting them to be a bit snooty, expect other people to do work for them, born with a silver spoon in their mouth etc but actually turned out to be a decent and hard working person that mucks in.

This thread is suggesting there might be regional interpretations in meaning though!

If someone said this about me I’d be delighted! It’s not something that gets banded about a lot and is totally genuine when said IMO

@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'

This.

Me too...solid, dependable, good values, but uneducated, unsophisticated, etc.

@blisstwins

Me too...solid, dependable, good values, but uneducated, unsophisticated, etc.

Wow.

It is a compliment in my w.c world.

I had no idea or was sometimes viewed any other way than positive.

@Notdeliasmith

0ooh this is really interesting! I've used it before as a genuine compliment.

Never realised it might be seen as patronising/ or to do with class

I say it about one of my best friends who is a cockney. She takes it as a huge compliment, as it’s meant 🤷🏻‍♀️ She doesn’t take offence as she doesn’t think she’s MC (she wouldn’t want to be). She’s one of those lucky people who everyone loves, she’s humble, genuine, amazing and salt of the earth.

I'd be happy if someone called me this.

It is a class thing. UK is obsessed with it. Why I don't know.

But it is a great compliment to a person just the same. Would prefer that moniker than be called a toff.

If you say that someone is the salt of the earth, you mean that they are a very good and honest person Cambridge dictionary nothing to connect with being uneducated or common.

Wow people really do look for ways to be offended , it is not patronising its a compliment

@Emeraldshamrock

If you say that someone is the salt of the earth, you mean that they are a very good and honest person Cambridge dictionary nothing to connect with being uneducated or common.

I've only ever heard it used as a euphemism for common. It may not be the dictionary definition, but that's how I've heard it used.

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

You couldn't be more wrong if you tried. It absolutely does not mean that at all.

Except it does mean exactly that to some people, so she’s not wrong!

It is a phrase that is interpreted quite differently by different people.

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 wouldn't confuse it with being 'steady' and 'dependable' aka mind numbingly boring either.

Wow people really do look for ways to be offended , it is not patronising its a compliment

It’s only a compliment if it’s said as a compliment.

It’s quite clear that people do also use it to be patronising.

I’m originally from NI and it’s definitely meant as a compliment. I can understand in other parts of the UK it might have developed class/patronising connotations but in NI it just means a good, honest, moral person.

@Missannelliot I am from london and now in sw and its meant as a compliment you only have to have a quick google to see what it means
If others interpret as that it means they don't understand the meaning

@Missannelliot

I’m originally from NI and it’s definitely meant as a compliment. I can understand in other parts of the UK it might have developed class/patronising connotations but in NI it just means a good, honest, moral person.

Same here in the ROI. Best compliment you could get really.

@MerchantOfVenom but it has a meaning so if people use it incorrectly then they are wrong
If something has a meaning then it means just that ,