but rather...

Question

Hi all,

So, I´ve been noticing lately (I think) that I sometimes see ¨but rather¨ expressed as ¨sino más bien que¨ and other times just as ¨más bien que¨

Are both uses the same, or am I (very probably) missing some shade of meaning difference (or a big one)?

Thanks for any insight.

Answer 1

La policía debe prevenir los crímenes mas bien que castigarlos.
Police should prevent crimes rather than punish them.
La policía no debe prevenir los crímenes sino mas bien castigarlos.
Police should not prevent crimes but rather punish them.
That's the way I see it but of course my understanding of rather and but rather could be wrong.

Sounds normal Anormal. Gracias. - rogspax, Jun 8, 2013

Good examples :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 8, 2013

Answer 2

To tell the truth I often think of sino by itself containing the nuance of 'but rather' - to differentiate it from pero.

But I guess technically sino means only 'but' and can logically be followed by más bien/rather.

And vice versa if you leave out the 'but' and just say 'rather' you're not going to change the meaning much.

Los rituales familiares no son necesariamente sobre lo que haces, (sino) más bien sobre el hacer cosas juntos.

Family rituals aren't necessarily about what you do, (but) rather (they are more) about doing things together.

Interesting, I think I originally learned it that way (sino as but rather) but I guess it´s really only but. Thanks for the example. - rogspax, Jun 8, 2013

:) - Kiwi-Girl, Jun 8, 2013

Answer 3

Rog, I think it depends on context, it can be translated in several ways.

thx - rogspax, Jun 8, 2013