Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
like a Dutch pancake (paraphrasing)
English answer:
meagre / a big disappointment
Added to glossary by
Max Nuijens
May 18, 2009 20:49
14 yrs ago
English term
like a Dutch pancake (paraphrasing)
English
Other
Journalism
There were unparalleled increases in HDL levels along with decreases in LDL, but no benefit on the progression of atherosclerosis -- plaque buildup in the arteries. One measure even indicated a progression of the disease, the research found.
"The results were like a Dutch pancake," Kastelein deadpanned.
I don't understand this expression. Could you paraphrase it. many thanks in advance.
article: http://www.lifeclinic.com/fullpage.aspx?prid=603110&type=1
"The results were like a Dutch pancake," Kastelein deadpanned.
I don't understand this expression. Could you paraphrase it. many thanks in advance.
article: http://www.lifeclinic.com/fullpage.aspx?prid=603110&type=1
Responses
| 4 +6 | meagre / a big disappointment |
Max Nuijens
|
| 4 +1 | soaked with fats, cholesterol-laden |
Isabel Severing
|
Change log
Jun 1, 2009 05:42: Max Nuijens Created KOG entry
Responses
+6
1 hr
Max Nuijens
Netherlands
Netherlands
Netherlands
Energy & Environment, MSc
Native in: Dutch (Variant: Netherlands) 
Works in: English to Dutch
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Selected
meagre / a big disappointment
Dr. Kastelein practices a form of humour that is perhaps difficult to understand. He makes a joke about the results of the study, which was eagerly anticipated and of which much was expected, but turned out to be a big disappointment.
Dutch pancakes tend to look nice, but turn out to be thin. That is why they disappoint. The same goes for the results of the study. One can say that the results of a study are "meagre", at least I am sure a native Dutch speaker would say this when speaking English (Dutch: "meagre"= "mager" - Kastelein is native Dutch).
Another possibility could be that Dr. Kastelein was trying to say that the results were "flat" as a pancake, as in unchanged levels of artherosclerosis. Perhaps a combination of the two.
In any case, it was a disappointment.
Dutch pancakes tend to look nice, but turn out to be thin. That is why they disappoint. The same goes for the results of the study. One can say that the results of a study are "meagre", at least I am sure a native Dutch speaker would say this when speaking English (Dutch: "meagre"= "mager" - Kastelein is native Dutch).
Another possibility could be that Dr. Kastelein was trying to say that the results were "flat" as a pancake, as in unchanged levels of artherosclerosis. Perhaps a combination of the two.
In any case, it was a disappointment.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+1
1 hr
Isabel Severing
Native in English
&
English
Specializes in field
translator/proofreader/language trainer
Native in: English 
, German
Works in: German to English, English to German, English
soaked with fats, cholesterol-laden
i.e. the results showed no reduction of cholesterol level - as the texts states, there was even an indication that things got worse. Yes, what got worse was the build-up of plaque, so I can understand why you have difficulties relating that to a Dutch pancake. But the speaker just compares the cholesterol levels / fats to a pancake with lots of butter.
Hope this helps.
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Note added at 8 hrs (2009-05-19 05:42:11 GMT)
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I find it hard to believe that an English speaker would have used the expression with the meaning Max entered - but fair enough, it's a Dutch person being quoted after all, so maybe in Dutch this would actually make sense. Tina Vonhof's comment is exactly what had me exclude Max's choice - they're meant to be thick, rather than flat.
I'm starting to wonder did some American add the 'Dutch' into the quote, simply as pancakes in the US are not 'flat' either???
I won't be able to respond to anything here, as I'll be offline for the next few days!
Hope this helps.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs (2009-05-19 05:42:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
I find it hard to believe that an English speaker would have used the expression with the meaning Max entered - but fair enough, it's a Dutch person being quoted after all, so maybe in Dutch this would actually make sense. Tina Vonhof's comment is exactly what had me exclude Max's choice - they're meant to be thick, rather than flat.
I'm starting to wonder did some American add the 'Dutch' into the quote, simply as pancakes in the US are not 'flat' either???
I won't be able to respond to anything here, as I'll be offline for the next few days!
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
Max Nuijens
: But results did show a decrease of the level of the bad cholesterol LDL, as becomes clear from the article. The results were anything but soaked with fats or cholesterol.
29 mins
|
| neutral |
Mirra_
: well, just considering the two cholesterol ratio, the results showed an improvement ...
1 hr
|
| neutral |
Richard McDorman
: At first, this is what I thought too (I even posted a similar answer, which received one vote, but then I removed the answer, because in context it did not make sense). The problem here is context (read the whole passage; you can find it on Google).
3 hrs
|
| agree |
Gary D
: To me your answer is correct as I have had a Dutch pancake and it is full of all the nasty things which would fill my artries for 10 years, unlike an American pancake which is flat and uninteresting. And he does say "they were like" not "they are like"
11 hrs
|
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