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The origional content of "Grain of salt" (now at Grain of salt/Poetic interpretations), while perhaps providing interesting poetic, artistic, or philosophical commentary on why this phrase might be appropriate and its "deeper meaning", harded seemed the stuff of an encyclopedia article. Thus I moved it to a less central page.

I'm not even sure a page for this phrase is compatible with Wikipedia's anti-dictionary policy.

-- Ryguasu

I have to agree...Wikipedia is not a usage guide. --Larry Sanger

So: move it or delete it? Ryguasu, it looks like you originated the current contents. It now exists just because the original non-encyclopedia article existed, but there is no reason that I can see for having an excursus on "grain of salt" in Wikipedia. Do you have an opinion about moving or deleting it altogether? --Larry Sanger

I have no particular feelings for the article. We do have articles on foreign-language "proverbs", and I think it would be inconsistant with those if there were not some space for English-language sayings as well. But I don't care what form that space might take. In the end, this article took all of about a minute to write, so it's not exactly something I value. -- Ryguasu

Actually, the grain of salt thing probably isn't a proverb. Perhaps a mere figure of speech, although I doubt there's a rigid distinction between the two. -- Ryguasu

I didn't know what this phrase meant.. now I do. Thanks wiki

me too - 210.69.138.108 15:46, 24 Nov 2004 (UTC)

I found this article very useful. As with the article for "Greatest thing since sliced bread" and others like it, it helped to find the origin of the saying and to verify proper application. I also routinely will point others to these articles, and many have found them entertaining and beneficial. -- An honest quixtar ibo 15:02, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Historical Meaning

Are we sure that the Romans believed the head to be filled with salt? I have trouble believing that. That explanation also doesn't jive with the history given by dictionary.com, that it was part of an antidode. According to dictionary.com, Pliny used the phrase (possibly first) in that manner.

• Dictionary.com (with a grain of salt) (scroll down)
• Dictionary.com (grain of salt)
• Knowwhat.com archive (grain of salt) Excellent History, if accurate
• Other 'pliny + "grain of salt"' results

No one's replied in almost a week, so I editted the stuff out and replaced it with info about Pliny. The info came from the above sources. Please feel free to comment if you disagree with the changes. -- Dpark 03:52, 21 Apr 2005 (UTC)

-- Dpark

[edit] Not an antidote to poison.

Barbara Shack 15:35, 4 February 2006 (UTC)I added that salt is not really an antidote to poison. Some child, silly adult or self-destructive adult might try messing with poisons and salt and might end up dead.

Are we sure that salt isn't an antidote to any poison? — The Storm Surfer 00:41, 16 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Is this article even close to accurate?

What I learned in Latin classes is that the phrase refers to the practice of paying Roman soldiers in salt; thus, a grain (or a pinch) of salt equivalently means "worthless" and is the rise of other phrases such as "Not worth his salt". The Latin word salt, salus, is from where English derives the word 'salary'. So taking something 'with a grain of salt' essentially means to take something but to afford it little value. Conversely, the somewhat new phrase to take something with a 'BIG grain of salt' is simple nonsense.

This explanation makes a lot more sense than anything written on the article page, and can be corroborated in the articles both on 'Salary' and 'History of salt'. I would take dictionary.com's There is also a story... with a grain of salt. (Updating History... page) — 72.40.155.239 19:17, 7 January 2007 (UTC)