catchphrase / said by James
Salt to the earth
What does "Salt to the earth" mean on Small Town Murder?
James's mangled version of "salt of the earth", used approvingly of nice, decent, hard-working people, usually a rural or blue-collar family. He says it as a warm character reference, often followed by examples of their ordinary decency.
- Kind
- catchphrase
- Usually said by
- James
- First heard
- Episode 134, 29 August 2019
The story behind the phrase
Where did "Salt to the earth" come from?
The earliest use in the transcripts is episode 134. James describes a ranching family as "very salt to the earth", meaning rural, kind, church-going people. It sounds like a slip of the tongue for "salt of the earth", and he sticks with the mangled form.
It is a warm character reference for ordinary, decent, hard-working people, with their everyday goodness listed as proof. It is usually said about a family before the story takes a darker turn.
How is "Salt to the earth" used now?
James uses it as a familiar approving label for blue-collar and small-town families, from a miner and a homemaker in episode 211 to a generous employer in episode 255 and a teacher's family in episode 465. It can also be used with irony, as in episode 685, about a man who comes across as clean cut and down to earth in public.
When was "Salt to the earth" first said?
It was first heard in episode 134, "Some People Just Don't Mix", on 29 August 2019, at about 0:36:37.
"They're um they're very salt to the earth, what you would think of as like rural ranchy people."
James is describing a ranching family as "very salt to the earth", meaning rural, nice, church-going people. It sounds like a slip of the tongue on "salt of the earth" rather than a planned joke, but he repeats the mangled form in later episodes as a familiar approving label.
Heard in these episodes
Found by searching the transcripts; speech recognition can miss a use.
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