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dat is sterker dan mezelf

English translation: It\'s much more than a home to me

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Dutch term or phrase:dat is sterker dan mezelf
English translation:It\'s much more than a home to me
Entered by: MoiraB

07:59 Jul 24, 2013
Dutch to English translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
Dutch term or phrase: dat is sterker dan mezelf
I see that van Dale has this exact phrase and translates it as: "It is stronger than I am", but that doesn't quite work for me here (you tend to read it literally). I feel there's something more to it. Interview with a Belgian artist who lives in a castle. Intended for a fairly informal guide book to Belgium. This is the complete answer to the question (so no more context available).

Wat betekent dit kasteel voor u?
**Dat is sterker dan mezelf.** Sinds 1986 wonen we hier. Dit is echt ons huis en voor mij de beste plek op aarde. Ik zou nergens liever willen zijn. Ik reis heel veel voor mijn zaak, maar vakantie, dat is thuisblijven. Van de tuin genieten, van het park, van de architectuur, van mijn paard. Het is een droomwereld die realiteit is geworden.
Dat was ook weer liefde op het eerste gezicht. Toen mijn vrouw en ik de brug op reden, wisten we het al. Ik ben altijd heel intuïtief geweest bij het nemen van belangrijke beslissingen, ook bij het kopen van kunst. Als ik te veel moet gaan nadenken, is het niet goed.
MoiraB
France
Local time: 17:40
It's far more than a home to me
Explanation:
... it's my everything!
Selected response from:

freekfluweel
Netherlands
Local time: 17:40
Grading comment
Call me a straightforward gal, but Barend's "bigger than me" suggestion just doesn't do it for me and is possibly a bit too poetic for the down-to-earth comments interviewee goes on to make. Perhaps even "much more than bricks and mortar to me" to convey the strength idea (not that castles are necessarily built from bricks!). Thanks, everyone.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3This place is bigger than me.
Barend van Zadelhoff
3 +3It's far more than a home to me
freekfluweel
3 +1overwhelmed/overpowered me
Verginia Ophof
3it has something transcendental about it
Jack den Haan
3I can't resist its pull/attraction
Marijke Singer
3It mesmerizes me
Tina Vonhof (X)


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
it has something transcendental about it


Explanation:
I like freekfluweel's first suggestion too, but this might be another option.

Jack den Haan
Netherlands
Local time: 17:40
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
This place is bigger than me.


Explanation:

This place is bigger than me. Bigger than my heart. Bigger than my soul. This place fills me, finds me, wants me, captures me, releases me. This place is where death equals life, where they will throw dust in my face, where they will embrace all my wounded memories. This place is where I will attempt to unload my burden, come clean about all my lies, find a soul, used a little, scarred in places, but hopeful and beautifully shining in the spring sun. From there on this place will have the best part of me. From there on home will mean something different every time I hear it ring. This journey you should take with me. This place entraps even the most hard of hearts. This place has entrapped me already. Entrapped me before I ever set foot on its dusty streets.

http://ifnoonewill.blogspot.nl/2012/04/gonna-write-it-out-go...

Barend van Zadelhoff
Netherlands
Local time: 17:40
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  freekfluweel: Received a lot of Hallmarks lately, I like it though?!
18 mins
  -> The text happened to lead my thoughts to this idea and then I checked it a bit against the internet and used this reference to emphasize this possible aspect of things you don't really understand but seem to hold a promise.
agree  Lianne van de Ven: I think I would just say "it" (instead of This place, which is also literally true). It's bigger than me. I like this better than "more than a home", which I find too mundane for this context.
4 hrs
  -> Thank you, Lianne.
agree  Wiard Sterk: Poetic. I like this.
6 hrs
  -> Thank you, Wiard.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
It's far more than a home to me


Explanation:
... it's my everything!

freekfluweel
Netherlands
Local time: 17:40
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Call me a straightforward gal, but Barend's "bigger than me" suggestion just doesn't do it for me and is possibly a bit too poetic for the down-to-earth comments interviewee goes on to make. Perhaps even "much more than bricks and mortar to me" to convey the strength idea (not that castles are necessarily built from bricks!). Thanks, everyone.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Natasha Ziada (X): mooi. Although I would say 'much more' instead of 'far more'
18 mins
  -> Details... perhaps you're right...
agree  Barend van Zadelhoff: Your suggestion seems more specific, to refer more to the Familiar and Destiny Fulfilled while mine seems less specific and to refer more to the Unknown and Mystery Ahead. // Rather "My castle is my home." :-)
57 mins
  -> Well, "my home is my castle"
agree  tkyrs: I agree with Natasha: 'much more'
3 hrs
  -> See NZ
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
I can't resist its pull/attraction


Explanation:
Another informal suggestion.

Marijke Singer
Spain
Local time: 17:40
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish
PRO pts in category: 4
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
overwhelmed/overpowered me


Explanation:
If a smell or feeling overpowers you, it is so strong that it makes you feel weak or ill

Example sentence(s):
  • To affect so strongly as to make helpless or ineffective; overwhelm.

    https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/overpower?topic=winning-and-defeating
    Reference: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/overpower
Verginia Ophof
Belize
Local time: 09:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Petro Ebersöhn (X)
14 hrs
  -> Thank you Petro !!
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
It mesmerizes me


Explanation:
or: It is a mesmerizing place. Another few options to step away from the literal translation.


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 hrs (2013-07-24 17:53:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Or yet another option: This place has me spellbound.


    Reference: http://www.thv11.com/featured/amazed/article/98146/198/Amaze...
Tina Vonhof (X)
Canada
Local time: 09:40
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
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