A Jack of All Trades is a Master of None

But often better than a master of one...

“A Jack of All Trades is a Master of None”

This is a phrase we hear so very often to talk about the importance and value of expertise in a particular skill or area rather than a general understanding of many fields of study and work. Jacks of all trades are not specialists, but generalists, able to integrate concepts and understand more broadly. They lack specific expertise.

The origin of the phrase goes back to the Elizabethan age with Robert Greene referring to Shakespeare (the first published mention of Shakespeare) as an ‘absolute Johannes Factotum,’ a Latin phrase that can be roughly translated to “Jack of All Trades.” The Latin phrase is also thought to reference ‘Resolute’ Johannes Florio, a contemporary author, who many believe wrote a large number of Shakespeare’s works.

The “Master of None” is said to have been added later, in the 18th century, bringing a negative connotation to the otherwise ambiguous phrase.

The full quote is actually- “A Jack of All Trades, Master of None, but oftentimes better than a Master of One.” It is unclear whether this extension was added after the phrase was already popularised or whether it was a forgotten part of the original saying.

Either way, it adds a positive spin to the proverb- while in-depth knowledge of something is important, it is just as important to have a general and unspecific understanding of various fields, integrate concepts and use it to solve problems. Knowledge of the world around us is extremely important- while knowing specific names of star clusters is admirable and wonderful, so is knowing that stars are used in navigation, are visible to us at night and that they often serve as inspiration to poets. General knowledge is as noble a pursuit as specific skill.