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Glossary entry

Dutch term or phrase:

interessant doenerij

English translation:

self-importance

Added to glossary by Iris Shalev
Jan 25, 2010 11:01
14 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Dutch term

interessant doenerij

Dutch to English Bus/Financial Transport / Transportation / Shipping reflections on career in shipping
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.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +2 self-importance
3 +3 intriguing doings/bells and whistles/anything to write home about
3 +2 braggadocio/boastfulness/showing off
4 +1 bombast
4 boasting
2 -1 to advertise oneself
Change log

Jan 31, 2010 12:16: Iris Shalev Created KOG entry

Discussion

JOHN WINDER (asker) Jan 25, 2010:
The previous sentence mentions the unique bond between employer and employee (just a short sentence:....heeft een unieke band met zijn bedrijf en werknemers). Then this whole sentence is: "Geen vlaggen, limousines en interessant doenerij". I hope this helps.
philgoddard Jan 25, 2010:
Could we have a bit more context please? The full sentence would be a start, assuming this isn't it.

Proposed translations

+2
1 hr
Selected

self-importance

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.
Peer comment(s):
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!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you for your help. It is always useful to have support from a native speaker for these occasional quirks in the language."
+3
8 mins

intriguing doings/bells and whistles/anything to write home about

A catch-all, I would guess, to indicate that there's nothing particularly interesting about the subject under discussion. These are my suggestions.
Peer comment(s):
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 (X) : Bells and whistles is perfect but don't like the others.
2 days 5 hrs
Thanks, Tina - see my comment to Phil.
Something went wrong...
-1
21 mins

to advertise oneself

or: to ecel

(avoiding overstatement)

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

excel !
Peer comment(s):
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
Something went wrong...
+2
1 hr

braggadocio/boastfulness/showing off

a few more possibilities that might fit in your sentence.
Peer comment(s):
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
Something went wrong...
+1
21 hrs

bombast

'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...
Peer comment(s):
agree Lianne van de Ven : nice one too
7 hrs
Something went wrong...
1 day 4 hrs

boasting

Synoniem (en correct Nederlands) is "dikdoenerij" wat VD vertaalt met bragging or boasting.
Something went wrong...
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