There is a saying in the English language "Practice makes perfect", but I came across another version often used in Gaeilge. "Cleachtadh a dhéannan maistreacht". This translates to "Practice makes Mastery." Maistreacht translates to mastership and maístreacht to masters. I am uncertain but they are probably loan words, as the origins of the word Mastery can be traced to the 13th century in Middle English as maistrie from the Anglo-French mestrie, maistrie from meistre - 'master'
Cleachtadh which does translate to practice also means exercise, lesson, and experience; which I feel adds much to the meaning of someone working to obtaining mastery. It is through lessons, and practice exercises one gains experience. Mastery comes from doing!
Another word that also seems to pop up in these translations is Líofa, which means Proficient, Fluent, Acceptable, Suitable.
Brothers, are you seeing a theme here? If we then return to the phrase, "Practice makes perfect" which uses the word Foirfeacht - 'the condition, state, or quality of being free, or as free as possible from all flaws or defects'. are we not also talking about The Perfect Ashlar? Suitable, Acceptable for the Builders use partially because we are proficient and fluent because of our lessons and practice. Cleachtadh a dhéannan maistreach!
I had to laugh as I got to your supposition that "maistreacht" was a loan word. Not two sentences before I was thinking "now THAT'S a loan word if I ever saw one", lol.
ReplyDeleteYea sometimes I can easily spot them, i have a much harder time with latin loan words though.
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