分かるような、分からないように

English translation: ...which seems to be clear but maybe is not

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Japanese term or phrase:分かるような、分からないように
English translation:...which seems to be clear but maybe is not

09:08 Mar 3, 2005
Japanese to English translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - Linguistics
Japanese term or phrase: 分かるような、分からないように
is there such a grammatical expression?

what does it mean?
goval
...which seems to be clear but maybe is not
Explanation:
Difficult to give a "target term" for out of context without sounding stilted. But the source term as given is in error. It is properly "分かるような、分からないような" with both clauses ending in the adjectival "na" and not one in "na" and the other in the adverbial "ni." It is used to describe something that you think you sort of understand but maybe don't understand at all.
Selected response from:

kennesaw42
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5Unclear, quite puzzling, doesn' t make much sense to me
humbird
2 +2baffling; not sure if one understand or not
miyot
4...which seems to be clear but maybe is not
kennesaw42


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5 peer agreement (net): +2
分かるような、分からないように
baffling; not sure if one understand or not


Explanation:
分かるような分からないような (the last character is な instead of に) does exist. It means someone is not sure if he understands or not. It's used for statements or phrases that sound very convincing at first but actually very baffling.

miyot
Local time: 18:55
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Steven Batti (X): I agree. I might use something like "not quite sure".
4 hrs

agree  J_R_Tuladhar
6 hrs
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12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
分かるような、分からないように
Unclear, quite puzzling, doesn' t make much sense to me


Explanation:
Yes it is grammatically correct. Although there is a misspelling as other answerer pointed out, so that part of your problem is solved.
Now here is my version of translation and choice is yours (of course).
This expression is quite colloquial and usually followed by:
へんな話 or わけのわからない話(ことがら or other variables).

If I were the listener, these would be what I utter. This expression shows slight frustration in the listener's side. Like "What'a hell are you talking about ......?" (But this can be too strong.)

Yours,

humbird
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese, Native in EnglishEnglish
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15 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
分かるような、分からないように
...which seems to be clear but maybe is not


Explanation:
Difficult to give a "target term" for out of context without sounding stilted. But the source term as given is in error. It is properly "分かるような、分からないような" with both clauses ending in the adjectival "na" and not one in "na" and the other in the adverbial "ni." It is used to describe something that you think you sort of understand but maybe don't understand at all.

kennesaw42
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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