
Putting your two cents in: significance
The expression "to put one's grain of salt" is commonly used to refer to an intervention perceived as surprising or superfluous in a conversation or situation. What is the origin of this expression?
Summary
Where does the French expression "mettre son grain de sel" come from?
Many meanings and origins
There are several origins to the expression "mettre son grain de sel". Here's a quick overview!
Salt, a wealth: the gabelle tax
In the 13th century, salt was an extremely precious commodity in France. Primarily used to season and preserve food, it was subject to strict royal control through the gabelle tax. The population had to go to salt granaries to buy it in limited quantities. This royal monopoly persisted until the gabelle was abolished under the Second Republic in the 19th century.
Salt was so rare and precious that each grain had a significant value. This gave rise to the expression "mettre son grain de sel", suggesting that even a small addition could have a big impact.
Salt, a fine jewel: "Cum Grano Salis"
The expression is also said to come from a Latin locution found in the writings of Pliny the Elder in the 1st century AD: "Cum Grano Salis". In Latin, the word "salt" has two meanings: literally, it refers to the salt used in food, but figuratively, it means "wit" or "finesse".
The expression "Cum grano salis", meaning "with a grain of salt", was therefore used to signal that a situation should be approached with caution or added a dash of thought.
The evolution of the expression over the centuries
The expression "Cum grano salis" has survived the centuries, but its meaning has changed over time. Whereas it was once synonymous with a fine, measured intervention, it became more negative in 20th-century French, where "mettre son grain de sel" refers to an intervention often perceived as inappropriate.

Salt, nature's treasure
Original salt is a pure product of nature resulting from the magical union between water, sun and wind. An astonishing creation resulting from the unique encounter between man and nature.
Le Guérandais Guérande Salt is 100%natural, unwashed, unbleached and unrefined. Each year, it is harvested by hand using ancestral methods by the paludiers who are members of the Cooperative in the Guérande salt marshes.
The parallel between expression and the right amount of salt
The culinary dimension of the expression also plays an important role in its meaning. Salt is a real powerful flavor enhancer. It must therefore be used in moderation so as not to mask certain tastes.
Theperfect salt dosage therefore implies sublimating without excess.
For this, the important thing is to:
- Good salt dosing by tasting regularly to adjust in small quantities, and thinking about the balance of flavors (salty, sweet, acidic and bitter) between the foods making up the recipe.
- Choose the right type of salt and the right way to use it. It's important to choose a natural (unrefined) salt for its quality and thus benefit from all the natural goodness of salt (magnesium, potassium, calcium...) but also more subtle flavors. The Flower salt, the coarse salt and the fine salt (or ground salt) are not used in the same way and in the same dishes. Coarse salt, for example, is ideal in cooking water, Fleur de sel is dispersed with the fingers at the end of cooking or just before serving dishes, and ground salt, subtle and delicate, is suitable for all uses.
Excess salt can spoil a dish. So, "putting your grain of salt" in a conversation can symbolize an intervention that, instead of adding value, complicates or disrupts the situation.
Did you know?
Similar expressions can be found in other cultures with different nuances:
In English, we say "to stick one's oar in", i.e. "to put one's oar in". A metaphor that speaks to the idea of getting involved unsolicited in a situation.
In German, the expression "seinen Senf dazugeben", means "to add one's mustard". Here, too, the idea is to add an unsolicited comment, just as one would add an unsolicited condiment to a dish.
In Flemish, we say "zijn steentje bijdragen", meaning "to bring one's little stone". This expression is more positive, suggesting a small contribution to a common effort, although it can be a superfluous intervention.