There is no prosperity unless there is discipline.
Note: Irish makes frequent use of the definite article “the” before nouns which do not refer to physical/tangible objects. Here, for instance, the seanfhocal refers to “an rath” (literally “the prosperity”) and “an smacht” (literally “the discipline/control”). Likewise, even when speaking English, it is often said that someone has “the Irish” (meaning the Irish language), which mirrors the Irish reference to “an Ghaeilge”.
Note: In Béarla the saying is that “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link”. Since at least the time of Strongbow (and probably longer) disunity has left Ireland open to her enemies. This seanfhocal expresses the still unfulfilled dream of Irish unity, be it political or cultural.
Note: You will never get anything accomplished (like mastering ‘an Ghaeilge’) by just sitting around thinking about it. Active people reap the benefits of their exertions.
Note also: The Irish language has terms for parts and areas of the body which go nameless in other languages. That being said, it is curious that the word “cos” can refer to either the leg or the foot; and it is often used without really differentiating which portion of the appendage is in question.
Note: This seanfhocal serves to encourage hard work. The Irish as a people much prefer working with family and friends as opposed to solitary labor. A group of people which comes together to help a neighbor or to accomplish some community project is known as a “meitheal”. It would put one in mind of the “barn raisings” which were common in American pioneer days.
Note: An English language saying with a similar theme might be “Anything worth doing is worth doing well”. Especially in rural areas, the people are very conscious of who accomplished particular pieces of work. It is common in Connemara, for instance, for people to refer to whose father, great-grandfather, etc., constructed this or that stone wall.
Note: Most people are familiar with the Modern English proverb, “Practice makes perfect.” It connotes the trials and tribulations of repeated efforts to learn a new task well. It conjures up the image of the beginning musician struggling to learn the cords of her instrument. Perhaps, it evokes the scene of a budding Gaeilgeoir listening to a tape of spoken set phrases and repeating them over and over again.
But there is another subtle semantic variation of this week’s proverb that is better captured in the Old English version of this proverb, “Use maketh mastery.” Here the English word ‘practice’ like the Irish word ‘cleachtadh’ has another meaning. It also means experience. In this sense, mastery comes from doing. The maestro masters his instrument by performance, not just through the repetition of practice exercises. The Gaeilgeoir becomes fluent not from just doing her lessons regularly but by using the language.
In this spirit, we at Daltaí na Gaeilge invite you to do Irish. Join us at an immersion weekend. Use the language you are practicing and you will gain mastery.
