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Translation of: scheinbar, and: anscheinend

The distinctions in English

Toytown Germany > Discussion forum > Germany-wide > Translations
fenna
Hope someone can help a non-native speaker with this:
I've been looking for ages for the correct translation of "anscheinend" and "scheinbar". Do you make a distinction in English between them? Are "apparently", "seemingly", "obviously" synonyms or is there a slight difference in meaning?
Just for clarification:
anscheinend = from all what you can see, anscheinend krank = this person IS ill from what you can see
scheinbar = it only seems so but it is not, scheinbar krank = the person is not ill but only seems so

Thank you!
Owain Glyndwr
anscheinend would translate more appropriately to apparently, whereas scheinbar would be better for seemingly, imo.
fenna
Wow, that was a quick answer, thank you!
From my experience, I totally agree with you. It is just confusing when you look up the words in a dictionary as they normally offer both "anscheinend" and "scheinbar" as a translation for "apparently" and "seemingly" each.
Jeeves
"anscheinend" appears to be so and is so
"scheinbar" seems to be so but isn't

Edit: so now I've bothered to read the end of the very first post, I agree rolleyes.gif
Eleanor Rigby
I use them interchangeably but that's not necessarily correct.
oli2000
QUOTE (Jeeves @ Feb 13 2006, 3:22 pm) *
"scheinbar" seems to be so but isn't

Can be used in such context, but not necessarily.

I would say that "anscheinend" is stronger than "scheinbar", i.e.

anscheinend => apparently, more in terms of "obviously"

scheinbar => apparently, in terms of "possibly" or "probably"

Ulysses
QUOTE (Eleanor Rigby @ Feb 13 2006, 3:24 pm) *
I use them interchangeably but that's not necessarily correct.

You'd do well to read "Der Dativ ist dem Genitiv sein Tod". You're not alone!
Kay
QUOTE
anscheinend = from all what you can see, anscheinend krank = this person IS ill from what you can see

Shouldn't it be "obviously ill" in this example (=you can see he/she is ill)? "Apparently" and "seemingly" would still leave open the possibility of the person not being ill.
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