Query on the term *mistri*

[Richard Barz]

In his 1884 Dictionary of Urdu, Classical Hindi and English (Munshiram
Manoharlal New Delhi 1993 reprint) John Platts says this (p.1031) about
"Mistrii":

"prob. corr. fr. the English 'master', pron. mistar".


>Recently I read that the so-called mystery plays of the middle ages in
>EU were not so called because they had something to do with "religious
>mysteries" but because they were staged by guilds called mystry or
>mystery. This rang a bell, as the term *mistri* in North India (I don't
>know if it also entered Dravidian languages) is usually glossed
>similarly to sense 2 below from the OED.
>
>I checked with the OED, which wrote that senses 2-4 were "probably
>confused with *maisterie*, MASTERY." Thus, senses 2 (and maybe 3?) under
>*mystery* accorded with the meaning of *mistri* in India and Bangladesh.
>(The OED also said that "In med. Latin *mistera* was a form commonly
>used with senses 2 & 3." That explains its use in connection with
>"mystery plays".)
>Sense 2: "Handicraft; craft, art. One's trade, profession, or calling."
>Sense 3: "A trade guild or company"
>
>Would some kind listmember inform as to how the term *mistri* entered
>into languages of the subcontinent.
>
>Thanks for any information,
>
>Joanna Kirkpatrick