Attic Salt Origin

Demosthenes 384 12 october 322 b c e a greek statesman and orator of ancient athens was known for his wit.

Attic salt origin. 185 written in a stile so attick that it may well be called the french tacitus. Also known as attic wit. It s from the oxford english dictionary s v. I ve been doing some genealogy research.

Salt both in latin and greek was a common term for wit or sparkling thought well expressed. Attic salt at ik salt noun. From attic of greece or of athens after attica a region in southeast greece surrounding athens salt wit on minor occasions anyone possessing a fluent tongue and knowledge and nerve and a pinch of the attic salt of humour will probably speak best on the spur of the moment but trusting to inspiration may sometimes prove a broken reed and those who have to obey the orders of the toast master when. 8 various more recent groups also have a reputation for laconic humor.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to america s largest dictionary with. More than 250 000 words that aren t in our free dictionary. This can be contrasted with the attic salt or attic wit the refined poignant delicate humour of sparta s chief rival athens. Attic salt definition dry delicate wit.

85 while roman spirit charms and attic wit. Australian humor 10 11 12 american cowboys 13 new englanders 14 and people from the north of england. Icelanders in the sagas 9 and in the anglophone world australians cf. Refined delicate poignant wit.

You must there are over 200 000 words in our free online dictionary but you are looking for one that s only in the merriam webster unabridged dictionary. A calque of latin sāl atticus or sāl atticum. In classical times salt was a frequent metaphor for wit. Refined incisive wit meaning pronunciation translations and examples.

Thus cicero says scipio omnes sale supera bat scipio surpassed all in wit. Looking through a hometown newspaper march 1970 i found this filler. Attic salt definition is poignant delicate wit. The athenians were noted for their wit and elegant turns of thought and hence attic salt means wit as pointed and delicately expressed as by the athenians.