Language is an incredible thing. It is one of the foundational developments of humanity and a core building block of society. Typically, there is general agreement about words and their definitions; this agreement allows for communication to proceed on common ground.
However, sometimes things evolve. Just how far they can develop is surprising. I recently learned a curious thing about the common expression, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” The full quote actually changed what I had understood to be the original meaning of the expression. So, I did some digging and thought it would be interesting to share what I found. To my surprise, it turned out there are a great number of idioms, proverbs, and expressions that are commonly accepted to mean one thing but actually have been distorted or reversed from their original meaning. See below for some interesting examples I found.
- “Jack of all trades, master of none” vs. “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than master of one.” What we commonly think of as a criticism did not start out that way. Rather than viewing a jack of all trades as mediocre across the board, the saying was originally meant to highlight the advantages of a versatile and adaptable generalist.
- “Money is the root of all evil” vs. “The love of money is the root of all evil.” This is a situation where nuance gets lost over time. The original quote is meant to direct caution to an unhealthy attachment to wealth or greed, while the misquote fuels the stereotype that wealth must equate to corruption and possibly trigger guilt for pursuing and/or achieving success.
- “Great minds think alike” vs. “Great minds think alike, though fools seldom differ.” However, an agreement is seen as a sign of intelligence. The more common quote seems to value consensus over actual critical thinking, but in this circumstance, the original proverb actually cautions against groupthink.
- “Blood is thicker than water” vs. “The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.” Bonds formed by choice are often stronger than those formed by biological family ties. The original quote emphasizes not “family first, no matter what,” which can lead to tolerating toxic family dynamics, but rather the value of chosen family, friendships, and communities.
- “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps” is generally accepted to mean a completely self-made individual. However, the original intention of the quote was to highlight the impossibility of literally pulling yourself up alone.
- “Curiosity killed the cat” was originally “Care killed the cat.” Instead of a caution against being overly inquisitive, the original quote means something far different. In a historical context, “care” was formerly a synonym for worry or excessive concern. In that context, the original is focused more on the damage that can come from anxiety than from curiosity.
- “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” The currently accepted meaning of the quote stresses patience, but the second half of the original quote – “but it burned in one” – emphasizes the importance of avoiding complacency. Even great things can fall apart quickly without the appropriate attention.
Previously, I had no idea of the extent to which these expressions changed their meaning over time. Many of these sayings are used in everyday communication; understanding their origins and how they evolve can be a valuable asset in our daily lives. Words can shape one’s worldview; moving forward, I will certainly make an effort to look beyond clichés and attempt to grasp the wisdom of the original quotes.
Dr. Nathan McClelland is a clinical psychologist who specializes in providing individually tailored, evidence-based psychotherapy with a focus on increasing self-understanding – the way one makes sense of their own history, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors – and the examination of how and why individuals often engage in distressing or ineffective behaviors. Dr. McClelland assists patients in improving their awareness of these patterns, and in the process make changes to allow for a richer and more meaningful life.
