Aan de ene kant
Example: Aan de ene kant wil ik gaan, aan de andere kant niet.
Definition
"Aan de ene kant" is a Dutch expression used to introduce one side of a situation or argument, often implying contrast with another perspective. It translates to 'on the one hand' and highlights a point or reason in a discussion, as in 'Aan de ene kant wil ik gaan, aan de andere kant niet.'
Etymology
The phrase "aan de ene kant" literally means 'on the one side' in Dutch. It originates from spatial language, where 'kant' means 'side' and 'ene' means 'one.' It is similar to expressions in other languages that use 'one side' to present contrasting viewpoints, showing how physical orientation influenced figurative speech.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Aan de ene kant" appears in the Vocaplus list "Dutch - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (B1) - set 1", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
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