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interessant doenerij

English translation: self-importance


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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Dutch term or phrase:interessant doenerij
English translation:self-importance
Entered by: Iris Shalev
Options:
- Contribute to this entry
- Include in personal glossary

11:01 Jan 25, 2010
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Transport / Transportation / Shipping / reflections on career in shipping
Dutch term or phrase: interessant doenerij
The author of this article is reflecting back on his career. He mentions the management and states: "geen vlaggen, limousines en interessant doenerij". I have never come across "interessant doenerij" before and I am guessing that it means something like "airs and graces" but I am not sure.
JOHN WINDER
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:53
self-importance
Explanation:
Maybe! I also think your suggestion of 'airs and graces' is a good one. The expression means that someone tries to make himself look more interesting/important than he is.
Selected response from:

Iris Shalev
Israel
Local time: 11:53
Grading comment
Thank you for your help. It is always useful to have support from a native speaker for these occasional quirks in the language.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3intriguing doings/bells and whistles/anything to write home about
Textpertise
4 +1bombast
Chris Hopley
3 +2self-importance
Iris Shalev
3 +2braggadocio/boastfulness/showing offxxxjarry
4boasting
Lianne Van De Ven
2 -1to advertise oneself
WIDIC


Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
intriguing doings/bells and whistles/anything to write home about


Explanation:
A catch-all, I would guess, to indicate that there's nothing particularly interesting about the subject under discussion. These are my suggestions.

Textpertise
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:53
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 18

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ghislaine van der Burgt: I would suggest something like 'puffing out of chests', as the Dutch term is also very colloquial. Or something that poo-poos the self-importance implied that is absent in this company.
21 mins
  -> Thanks, Ghislaine
agree  philgoddard: I like "bells and whistles"- not so sure about the other two.
35 mins
  -> Thanks, phil - really depends how it fits in with the tone of the rest of the text which we don't know.
agree  Tina Vonhof: Bells and whistles is perfect but don't like the others.
2 days5 hrs
  -> Thanks, Tina - see my comment to Phil.
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): -1
to advertise oneself


Explanation:
or: to ecel

(avoiding overstatement)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2010-01-25 11:23:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

excel !

WIDIC
Germany
Local time: 10:53
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Ghislaine van der Burgt: This is more about behaviour that suggests that the person finds himself very interesting and important, but really isn't.
5 mins
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
braggadocio/boastfulness/showing off


Explanation:
a few more possibilities that might fit in your sentence.

xxxjarry
South Africa
Local time: 10:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 52

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Iris Shalev: showing off sounds good, I think
4 mins
  -> Thanks Iris
agree  Erik Boers: Showing off comes closest imo.
1 hr
  -> Thanks Erik
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
self-importance


Explanation:
Maybe! I also think your suggestion of 'airs and graces' is a good one. The expression means that someone tries to make himself look more interesting/important than he is.

Iris Shalev
Israel
Local time: 11:53
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you for your help. It is always useful to have support from a native speaker for these occasional quirks in the language.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Ghislaine van der Burgt
28 mins
  -> Thanks!
agree  Chris Hopley: simple yet accurate - would certainly be my choice in the given context
19 hrs
  -> Thanks, Chris!
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21 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
bombast


Explanation:
'Interessantdoenerij' is the art of making yourself sound or appear more important than you are. In English, you could refer to this as bombast or pomposity.

-> "Bombast is trying to impress people by saying things that sound impressive but have little meaning.
Synonym pomposity
There was no bombast or conceit in his speech."
http://www.google.com/dictionary?aq=f&langpair=en|en&hl=en&q...

Chris Hopley
Netherlands
Local time: 10:53
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 43

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lianne Van De Ven: nice one too
7 hrs
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1 day4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
boasting


Explanation:
Synoniem (en correct Nederlands) is "dikdoenerij" wat VD vertaalt met bragging or boasting.

Lianne Van De Ven
United States
Local time: 04:53
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 8
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Changes made by editors
Jan 31, 2010 - Changes made by Iris Shalev:
Created KOG entryKudoZ term => KOG term


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