Elsajátítás

Elsajátítás is a Hungarian term that denotes the process and result of acquiring knowledge, skills, or competences, typically through study, practice, instruction, or experience. The emphasis is on mastery and on the learner’s possession of the learned ability, which can be applied in new situations. While the term can be used in other contexts to mean appropriation, in educational and developmental usage it generally refers to learning and internalization.

Etymology and usage: elsajátítás comes from the verb elsajátítani (to acquire, to master) with the prefix el- indicating completion or change of state, and saját meaning “one’s own.” In education, the concept highlights not just learning information but becoming able to perform or apply it autonomously.

Process and mechanisms: elsajátítás typically involves exposure to new material, modeling or guidance, practice, feedback, and repeated application until criteria of proficiency are met. It can be explicit, through targeted instruction, or implicit, through experiential learning and doing. The distinction between elsajátítás and tanulás is subtle; tanulás is a broad term for acquiring knowledge in general, while elsajátítás often emphasizes mastery and internalization of a specific skill or repertoire.

Applications: the concept is central to language acquisition, motor skills, mathematics, music, sports, and professional training. Outcomes are assessed by demonstrations, performance tests, or task transfer to new contexts, and are influenced by factors such as motivation, prior knowledge, and instructional quality.

Related concepts: skill acquisition, procedural vs. declarative knowledge, transfer of learning, and lifelong learning.