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het achterste van zijn tong liet zein

English translation: never revealed what he was truly thinking

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Dutch term or phrase:het achterste van zijn tong liet zein
English translation:never revealed what he was truly thinking
Entered by: R. James

20:30 Nov 7, 2003
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Music / Music
Dutch term or phrase: het achterste van zijn tong liet zein
Coming across this phrase a lot in the kinds of texts I am working with, and have translated it in various ways. Here, the context is "XXXX keuvelde tussendoor goedgemust met het publiek, maar je had nooit het gevoel dat hij echt het achterste van zijn tong liet zien."

It goes on to say that that's the way this entertainer is: professional, etc.

Any suggestions for the wording of this phrase? I have used "did not phone-in" the performance and others before, but in this case I am leaning toward something like

"did not let his guard down."

?
R. James
United States
Local time: 18:43
it means that
Explanation:
he didn't say what he really thought, he wasn't being totally honest
Selected response from:

Elisabeth Toda-v.Galen
France
Local time: 00:43
Grading comment
This is it... thanks to both!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1he never revealed what he was truly thinking
AllisonK (X)
3it means that
Elisabeth Toda-v.Galen


  

Answers


37 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
it means that


Explanation:
he didn't say what he really thought, he wasn't being totally honest

Elisabeth Toda-v.Galen
France
Local time: 00:43
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
This is it... thanks to both!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

39 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
he never revealed what he was truly thinking


Explanation:
a suggestion - something along these lines.

AllisonK (X)
Netherlands
Local time: 00:43
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: er, uh, glossary winner?
55 mins
  -> er, uh, slip of the finger?
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