I have just started to read Salt A World History, by Mark Kurlansky-- we have discussed some it before, not to long ago, and i have provided a link to information about the book on line.. http://www.saltbook.com/book.php

Kurlanshy claims in the the intro, that the Latin word salex, is from salt.. and meant "salty" --"salt eyed" and from this we get salacious.. but when i checked Bartleby, it said something different.. here is the link, and most of info copied.

Kurlansky claims the romans used salted eyed the way we use (or used to use, since i haven't heard the term used in years!)"sheep eyed" to mean well, what salacious means! there is a good deal of evidence that salt is associated with sexual prowess, and success.. and general over all good health and stamina.

I didn't go and check on his sourses, for the salt/salex/sel/salacious connetion.. but i thought i might bring it up here...

when salt came up before, we didn not fully explore the word or all the idioms that refer or use salt.

http://www.bartleby.com/61/58/S0035800.html

salacious
ADJECTIVE: 1. Appealing to or stimulating sexual desire; lascivious. 
2. Lustful; bawdy.
ETYMOLOGY:  From Latin sal*x, sal*c-, fond of leaping, lustful, 
from salre, to leap. 
See sel- in Appendix I

sel-
DEFINITION: To jump. 1. Suffixed zero-grade form *sal-yo-. a. salacious, 
salient, sally, sauté; assail, assault, desultory, 
dissilient, exult, insult, resile, result, somersault, from 
Latin sal*re, to leap; 
b. halter2, from Greek hallesthai, to leap, jump. 
2. Probably Latin salm* (borrowed from Gaulish),salmon(< “the leaping fish”): 
salmon. (Pokorny 4. sel- 899.)

Bingo! Of troy, I just happened to send Dr. Bill this intriguing link I found during a quiet weekend recently...a whole site dedicated to the etymology/history of salt! It's fascinating!

http://www.salt.org.il/etymol.html

Kurlansky claims the romans used salted eyed the way we use (or used to use, since i haven't heard the term used in years!)"sheep eyed" to mean well, what salacious means! there is a good deal of evidence that salt is associated with sexual prowess, and success.. and general over all good health and stamina.

I always thought salty language, salty talk, was derived from the, uh, colorful and lusty language that sailors and seamen (salts, old salts) were known to employ throughout the centuries. But this Roman facet to the story is intriguing.

wich is a word name ending that mean salt works.. so Northwich, and Nanwich, and other UK *wich cities (a number exist near Liverpool) are all historic cities that were (or are) places for salt works.. Wich is old A/S term, but that all i know.

English salt that from the Northwich and other salt works in the Cheshire area passed through Liverpool, and became know as Liverpool salt.. (it was considered to be of exceptional high quality). Most of the salt works date back to QE1.

I started reading Kurlansky's book. It's intriguing so far. I was put off early on when he referred to the Exodus as if it were a real event. Other than that it's interesting. I had heard of the connection between salary / salt previously, but I wasn't aware of a connection with 'sold' and 'soldier.'

According to etymology online it derives from a Roman gold coin called a solidus.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=soldier&searchmode=none

From _Salt:_A_World_History_, p. 40 "In 1250 B.C., when Moses liberated the Hebrew slaves, leading them out of Egypt across the Sinai..."

p. 63, "At times soldiers were even paid in salt, which was the origin of the word salary and the expression 'worth his salt.' In fact, the latin word sal became the French word solde, meaning pay, which is the origin of the word, soldier."

You can search part of the book here: http://books.google.com/books?id=xNEaD1g7XScC

After I'm done, I might read a few reviews on Amazon.

Kurlansky *does* tell a good story - and much of it rings true. His background is as a journalist, not an historian. He talks about the importance of salt to the Chinese, the Egyptians, the Romans, the Celts, the Basques, the Italians, the Scandanavians, the English, etc. It's fascinating.

(I recalled this discussion, but I can't believe it's this old. I thought it was only 1 or 2 years ago at most. Time passes so quickly.)

According to etymology online salarius refered, not to being paid in salt but to being paid an allowance for the purchase of salt.

Just came across this:
http://www.saltinstitute.org/Uses-benefits/Salt-in-history

Their stated mission is:
"The Salt Institute is a North American based non-profit trade association dedicated to advancing the many benefits of salt, particularly to ensure winter roadway safety, quality water and healthy nutrition."

Two weeks ago I would not have cared - or even noticed.

I know just what you mean FF about 'recalling a discussion' little snippets of conversations from here are always popping in my head but also how 'time passes'. This time though. I am reading this thread for first time.

Funnily enough I watched a program on TV the other night....about the benefits of Salt Rooms . An alternative therapy for the relieve of Asthma etc, seems the practice is not new, but dates back to 'medieval times, with monks taking the sick down into salt caves to allow them to breathe air saturated with salt particles'

taking the sick down into salt caves to allow them to breathe air saturated with salt particles' Huh--I wonder how that helped.

Almost finished with the book. A number of interesting word tidbits. "Sodium" derives from "soda" and on the other way round. Similarly, "Potassium" derives from potash and not vice versa.