The spelling "saults" may seem confusing, but it can be explained using IPA phonetic transcription. The word is pronounced as "sɔːlts," with the first syllable sounding like "saw" without the "w." The "u" after the "l" is silent, which is why it's common to see the word written as "salts" instead. However, the silent "u" is a remnant of the Old French origin of the word, where it was spelled "saute." Despite the unusual spelling, "saults" is a valid plural form of "sault," meaning a sudden jump or act of leaping.
The word "saults" is the plural form of "sault", which refers to a rapid or waterfall in a river. The term originated from the French word "saut", which means "jump" or "leap". This French word was borrowed from the Latin word "saltus", which also means "a leap". The term was likely used to describe the swift movement of water cascading over rocks or a sudden drop in a river, likening it to a jump or a leap. Over time, the term "sault" was anglicized to "saults" when referring to multiple rapids or waterfalls.