When a master?

[sensei8]

“Show me someone who is a Master, and I’ll show you someone who is not.”

I’m sure I read that somewhere,  but not sure where I read that or from whom but perhaps that says it all.

[KorroddyDude]

51 minutes ago, sensei8 said:

“Show me someone who is a Master, and I’ll show you someone who is not.”

I’m sure I read that somewhere,  but not sure where I read that or from whom but perhaps that says it all.

One of my favorite songs is Anything For You by Gloria Estefan.  I love the mood that it creates, and it's perfect for candle light dinners with the wife.  That is, if you're not paying attention to the lyrics.  The song is about getting over a break up.  Thankfully, there's a Spanish version of that song called No Te Olvidare.  And I don't speak Spanish.  So if I wanted to create candle light dinner and play the song without things feeling awkward, I'll play the Spanish version.

That being said, there are many definitions of "master" - whether it's how the word is used in the trades, the word for an educator, one who has reached a certain level in an art - and the Japanese have different words for each of them.  In American English, when we hear that word, we think of someone who is owed the highest level of deference that a non-deity can possibly receive and that we're the property of.  The Japanese have a separate word for that too.  These separate words enable them to use the one that applies, without any other implications.

The reason I brought up the song by Gloria Estefan is that, just like I prefer the Spanish version over a candle light dinner with the wife because of the lyrics, I think it's best that we stick with Japanese titles (or Korean, or whatever applies to your chosen art).  The title can be a direct translation of the Japanese word for "God" for all I care - as being a non-Japanese speaker means that I'm able to distance myself from the use of that word, which I wouldn't be able to by using the English word.

Edited December 11 by KorroddyDude

[bushido_man96]

I look it at more as being a 'master instructor,' like how one might earn a master's degree in a field at college.  I don't truly feel that I'm a "master" of the martial arts, but I do feel that I can competently teach another person at a high level.

[Zaine]

6 hours ago, bushido_man96 said:

I look it at more as being a 'master instructor,' like how one might earn a master's degree in a field at college.  I don't truly feel that I'm a "master" of the martial arts, but I do feel that I can competently teach another person at a high level.

I like this view a lot. I have a Masters degree in English, so technically I am recognized as a Master of the English language. What this really means, in my summation, is that I have the ability to teach it and understand it at a high level. It doesn't mean that I've mastered every aspect of it, just that my understanding is keen and has been sharpened to the point where I wield the language better than most.

[sensei8]

In that regards, being a Master Instructor is a more acceptable label as opposed to being labeled as a Master of the MA.

What’s the difference of those two??

Plenty, I assure you.

One is a fact and one is an assumption. Not all black belts can teach and no one is a Master of the MA; both are discovered once on the floor.

[KorroddyDude]

I'm not sure that we'd be having this debate outside of the English language.  An example of this: in classical music, we don't translate the word "maestro."  We just leave it in Italian.  I think we're reluctant to call the conductor a "master."  It's taboo in the English language, hence why we're so ready to dogpile anyone who uses such a title.

Is it possible to "master" a martial art?  If a martial art cannot be mastered, then what can be?  Perhaps when the word "master" is used in martial arts, it means that someone has reached a particular level of authority within the art.  I think it's fair to say that, in any subject, it's at least possible to do that.

I say that if there's a problem with the word "master," then perhaps even a title such as "master instructor" doesn't adequately solve the issue here.  Perhaps titles like "senior instructor" and "chief instructor" would be perceived as even less pompous and self-aggrandizing.

Edited Friday at 10:00 PM by KorroddyDude