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Bijl aan de wortel

English translation: stranglehold


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Dutch term or phrase:Bijl aan de wortel
English translation:stranglehold
Options:
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02:31 Aug 27, 2009
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Business/Commerce (general) / Software Company Website
Dutch term or phrase: Bijl aan de wortel
En bovenal de bijl aan de wortel van de creativiteit.

Note: This sentence followed the following sentence:
De dagelijkse regels worden veelal gezien als saai, verlammend, onoverzichtelijk of zelfs dwingend.
ELisabeth Luhrs
Australia
Local time: 16:51
stranglehold
Explanation:
.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-08-27 03:58:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A stranglehold on creativity.
Selected response from:

philgoddard
Local time: 01:51
Grading comment
Thanks for your help - this makes sense to me.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4death knell
Chris Hopley
4 +3strangleholdphilgoddard
4 +1...and effectively suppress creativityxxxjarry
4 +1strikes at the roots of
Alexander Schleber
3cuts off at the sourceTerry John Costin
3an axe at the root
Lianne Van De Ven
4 -1death sentencetelraam
2beginning of the end
Henk Peelen
3 -1the axe at the root
Elsje Apostel


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
an axe at the root


Explanation:
of creativity.
I am not sure if this imagery speaks in English, but it is also unusual in Dutch. The meaning is clear, though.

Lianne Van De Ven
United States
Local time: 02:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 37

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Chris Hopley: is IMO unusual in English too, although the image is clear
12 hrs
  -> Thanks Chris, for the reference also, of course!

disagree  Terry John Costin: sounds too Dutch
12 hrs
  -> Did you read (the bible quote in) the discussioin, Terry-John? How can you then come to this conclusion?
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
stranglehold


Explanation:
.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-08-27 03:58:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

A stranglehold on creativity.

philgoddard
Local time: 01:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 20
Grading comment
Thanks for your help - this makes sense to me.
Notes to answerer
Asker: I didn't realize this term would generate such a major discussion. It is great to see. The term 'stranglehold' seems the most feasible option for my context. Thanks so much for that - it was a tricky one!


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Kate Hudson
3 hrs

neutral  Chris Hopley: imo strangehold = to suppress or restrict rather than kill off; e.g. a monopolist has a stranglehold on the market
3 hrs

agree  Lianne Van De Ven: Honestly I think this is a good option, if the bible reference is not important
10 hrs

agree  Verginia Ophof: vmophof
11 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): -1
the axe at the root


Explanation:
and aboveall, the axe at the root of creativity

Elsje Apostel
Local time: 08:51
Native speaker of: Dutch
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Terry John Costin: I've never heard anyone use this in English, to me it sounds Dunglish.
7 hrs

neutral  Lianne Van De Ven: this answer was already given 3 minutes after the question was posted
8 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
death sentence


Explanation:
Literal translations of such phrases never work. In this case I think the Dutch suggests the threat of killing off creativity altogether.

My suggestion for the complete sentence:

And above all, the death sentence for creativity.

telraam
Local time: 08:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 3

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Terry John Costin: Can't see this as being appropriate at all
5 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
bijl aan de wortel
death knell


Explanation:
"A death knell for creativity."

-> "When sound was introduced, some thought it would be the death-knell of creativity in cinema"
http://creativecuppa.blogspot.com/2009/06/upcoming-event-cre...

Chris Hopley
Netherlands
Local time: 08:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 87

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ron Willems
1 hr

agree  Terry John Costin: This makes sense because an axe taken to a root would mean the end of what springs from the root. I also prefer this to the others because it is not a literal translation, though it does sound a bit harsh.
5 hrs

neutral  Alexander Schleber: death knell and detah sentence are pretty similar, and muich too strong IMO.
5 hrs
  -> Een bijl aan de wortel is actually pretty heavy stuff - see Bible quote in discussion area!

agree  philgoddard: This is good.
6 hrs

agree  Lianne Van De Ven: sounds best to me: daily routines etc etc etc are perceived as a (I would choose "a") death knell of creativity
7 hrs
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5 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
strikes at the roots of


Explanation:
That is what is meant IMO.

Alexander Schleber
Local time: 08:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 48

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Terry John Costin: This is the van Dale option but I find van Dale often lacking and in this case I think it might lead to confusion or at least the meaning is not entirely clear because it could mean different things depending on context.
5 hrs
  -> I think it is precisely right. Taking the axe to something does not necessarily mean killing it (death knlell / death sentence).

agree  Neil Cross
6 hrs

neutral  Chris Hopley: Taking an axe to the root of a tree will definitely kill it. If you leave the roots in, it may sprout new shoots.
7 hrs
  -> Chris, you should not see that literally. "strikes at the roots of" does not mean that you take an axe to it, it simply means that the roots are endangered.
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
...and effectively suppress creativity


Explanation:
http://www.education.com/reference/article/creativity-educat...

xxxjarry
South Africa
Local time: 08:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 237

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Terry John Costin: Perhaps almost correct (but is suppress the same as cutting at the root?) as far as meaning goes but in terms of literature, I find it misses the impact of the original.
4 hrs
  -> i don't think a literal or literary translation is called for in what is basically a business context.

agree  Tina Vonhof: Or even kills creativity but let's axe the axe.
9 hrs
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10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
cuts off at the source


Explanation:

In Dutch the word axe is used but in English would the word feel right within the flow? To me it does not feel/sound like a natural expression.
The intention of the author is to express how creativity is cut off. Where a simple word is available expensive language ought to be avoided because language ought to be accessible - as far as possible - to everyone, where complexity is neccessary, it is already enough to deal with.

Example sentence(s):
  • And above all, cuts creativity off at the (its) source
Terry John Costin
Netherlands
Local time: 08:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Lianne Van De Ven: I don't agree with the "simple language" idea. "Met een bijl aan de worteL" nodigt een beeldspraak uit. Het gaat hier ook om een perceptie, niet een feit. "Perceived as cutting off...?" Bovendien ben ik een liefhebber van dure taal en kostbare gedachten.
1 hr
  -> Sorry but I find making a thing more complicated than necessary the sign of a would-be attitude, not your attitude necessarily but in general, any fool can take a thing that is quite simple and make it complicated, it takes more to keep things simple
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11 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
beginning of the end


Explanation:
misschien liever wat minder letterlijk.

Henk Peelen
Netherlands
Local time: 08:51
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
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