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cijfermatig goed onderbouwd zijn

English translation: being good at figures


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Dutch term or phrase:cijfermatig (goed) onderlegd zijn
English translation:being good at figures
Entered by: Els Thant, M.A., B.Tr.
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13:28 Feb 3, 2005
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Dutch term or phrase: cijfermatig goed onderbouwd zijn
Op 21-jarige leeftijd, als souschef in Auberge de Kievit, kwam het besef dat er meer is dan alleen koken. De keuken in het totaal-bedrijf te zien werd een grotere uitdaging. Een eigen stijl van leiding geven, cijfermatig goed onderbouwd zijn en daarbij koken als passie en manier van leven zien, is naar zijn mening de basis voor het starten van een eigen bedrijf.

This is a description of a chef's career.

Does "cijfermatig goed onderbouwd zijn" mean "being good at figures", i.e. he thinks that if you are good at/with figures, you have a good basis for starting your own company? Or does this mean that the company should have good figures.

Any help with "cijfermatig goed onderbouwd zijn" would be appreciated please.
TAF
Local time: 00:37
being good at figures
Explanation:
and not that the company has good figures
Selected response from:

Els Thant, M.A., B.Tr.
Ecuador
Local time: 23:37
Grading comment
Thanks very much! I went with that exactly.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +8being good at figures
Els Thant, M.A., B.Tr.
4 +3having a good understanding of finances
Tina Vonhof
4being well based on facts and figures
seaMount
3the cook is the subject and he is the one who has to have his activities based on figures/
Adela Van Gils


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
being good at figures


Explanation:
and not that the company has good figures

Els Thant, M.A., B.Tr.
Ecuador
Local time: 23:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thanks very much! I went with that exactly.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  xxxjarry
41 mins
  -> thanks

agree  Marc Van Gastel: means he's got to work with numbers, be able to make basic cost and income estimates, make sure he makes money etc... the basics of running a business
59 mins
  -> thanks

agree  Iris70
1 hr
  -> thanks

agree  Adela Van Gils: Yes, but in that case it should be "de zaken cijfermatig goed onderbouwen". Onderbouwd zijn is hier fout.
1 hr
  -> bedankt - onderbouwd zijn is idd fout (zie ook mijn opm elders)

agree  Robert Kleemaier
4 hrs
  -> thanks

agree  Lawyer-Linguist
5 hrs
  -> thanks

agree  MoiraB: but I think 'having a good head for figures' is more idiomatic
18 hrs
  -> thanks

agree  George Thomson
1 day1 hr
  -> thanks
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
being well based on facts and figures


Explanation:
IMO

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Note added at 23 mins (2005-02-03 13:51:57 GMT)
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IMO opinion it has nothing to do with him being good at figures.
I think what is meant is that (running) the business should be well based on facts & figures (besides his culinary creativity and his particular style of management).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 4 mins (2005-02-03 14:32:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Er kan taalkundig strijd zijn over \'het onderwerp\' in de betreffende zin. Deze gegeven interpretatie is er een. Want \"cijfermatig onderbouwen\" doe je een bedrijf(splan), niet een mens.
Maarrrr, de interpretatie van Jarry c.s. mag er wezen: de schrijver heeft een verkeerde nederlandse uitdrukking gebruikt: hij bedoeld waarschijnlijk \"het cijfermatig goed ONDERLEGD zijn\" van de chef.

seaMount
Local time: 06:37
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  xxxFullCircle
3 mins
  -> dank je Marion

disagree  xxxjarry: Definitely not. The other qualities in the sentence all refer to the chef not the business. How can a business see "koken als passie en manier van leven"? "From the context it is obvious that "onderbouwd" s/b "onderlegd". Another example of poor Dutch!
24 mins
  -> als het over de chef zou gaan, neem ik aan, zou "cijfermatig goed onderlegd zijn" bedoeld & geschreven zijn. I ask you, welk mens is "cijfermatig goed onderbouwd" ? Robocop? ;)

neutral  Els Thant, M.A., B.Tr.: "onderbouwd" is idd slecht Nederlands (kan niet op personen slaan)
50 mins

neutral  Adela Van Gils: Precies, daar zit hem de fout in het Nederlands.
50 mins
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37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
the cook is the subject and he is the one who has to have his activities based on figures/


Explanation:
Good luck!
Onderwerp is de 21 jarige kok van Auberge de Kiviet. Kun je fantastisch eten!!

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Note added at 1 hr 14 mins (2005-02-03 14:42:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

The problem is that the sentence is wrong in Dutch.

The cook cannot be \"cijfermatig goed onderlegd zijn\". Either they mean that he is should be well schooled in these matters or that \"zijn handelingen/activies/ cijfermatig goed onderlegd zijn\". The writer forgot something or made a mistake.

Adela Van Gils
Netherlands
Local time: 06:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
having a good understanding of finances


Explanation:
That's what it boils down to.

Tina Vonhof
Local time: 22:37
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 26

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Siobhan Schoonhoff-Reilly: cost effective
7 mins
  -> Thanks but I disagree with cost effective - this refers to the chef, not the business.

agree  Iris70: met Siobhan
31 mins
  -> Thanks Iris.

agree  Els Thant, M.A., B.Tr.: "having a good understanding of finances" is een goed alternatief, maar "cost effective" kan idd niet **sorry, Tina, idd verkeerde knopje...**
3 hrs
  -> Kan gebeuren - dank je.
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