Date: Fri, 20 Sep 1996 15:47:24 -0400

From: Margaret Ronkin ronkinm[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]GUSUN.GEORGETOWN.EDU

Subject: Re: Salty Dog



This and "salt" are common variations of the nickname "old salt",

according to Urdang's and LaRoche's (1980:227) _Picturesque Expressions:

A Thematic Dictionary_. U and L claim that since a particularly old or

experienced sailor is a "sea dog", "the allusion [made by "salty dog"]

is to the salt in the seawater to which a sailor is constantly exposed".



Maggie



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Maggie Ronkin

ronkinm[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]gusun.acc.georgetown.edu

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