Eendrag maak mag, phrase

Forms:
Formerly also Eendracht maakt macht, Eentracht maakt macht.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, from Dutch Eendracht maakt macht, eendracht union, unity + maakt makes + macht power, might.
Note:
Eendracht maakt macht was the motto on the coat of arms of the Transvaal Republic. It was an adaptation of the Latin Concordia res parvae crescunt ‘In unity weak things grow’, the motto on the coat of arms of the Republic of the United Netherlands.
The usual Afrikaans representation of the Latin phrase Ex Unitate Vires (‘From unity (comes) strength’), the motto on the South African coat of arms.
1908 M.C. Bruce New Tvl 17Geduld en Moed’ (patience and courage) was the motto preached through the length and breadth of the Transvaal, in conjunction with the older one: ‘Eentracht maakt Macht’ (l’union fait la force).
1913 J. Brandt Petticoat Commando 167In South Africa might is not right. Our motto, ‘Eendracht maakt Macht,’ means ‘Unity is strength.’
1961 D. Bee Children of Yesterday 248On the Union coat-of-arms is written Ex Unitate Vires — Eendrag Maak Mag. I see it spelt in the old way on farm documents in my desk — Eendracht Maakt Macht. And I think what a fine spirit there was when Union was made.
1974 Sunday Times 15 Sept. 12Beeld and Dagbreek merged, both then vanished, and the resultant product was Rapport. Here certainly was a case which proved that Eendrag maak mag.
1985 S. Afr. Panorama May 23It culminated in the Union of South Africa on May 31, 1910. The motto was Eendracht maak macht (Unity begets Strength).
1988 P. Mahlangu in New Nation 14 Jan. 9It is said that unity is strength (eendrag maak mag).
The usual Afrikaans representation of the Latin phrase Ex Unitate Vires (‘From unity (comes) strength’), the motto on the South African coat of arms.
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