It would appear?

Question

We're terribly sorry, but it would appear that your aircraft has ben destroyed. Why did they write would appear?

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

We're terribly sorry, but it would appear that your aircraft has been destroyed.

1. There is no hard evidence, but all the data points to that.
2. The writer wanted to be less direct.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousWhy did they write would appear?

'would appear'; 'would seem'; 'appears'; 'seems'

Certain expressions like these are meant to soften the shock of bad news.

In a similar vein, Mrs. Creakle (in Dickens' David Copperfield) informs David that his mother has died with I grieve to tell you that I hear (see below). This is put even more delicately than "It would appear that", and the roundabout language makes the passage nearly comic.

'When you came away from home at the end of the vacation,' said Mrs. Creakle, after a pause, 'were they all well?' After another pause, 'Was your mama well?'
I trembled without distinctly knowing why, and still looked at her earnestly, making no attempt to answer.
'Because,' said she, 'I grieve to tell you that I hear this morning your mama is very ill.'
A mist rose between Mrs. Creakle and me, and her figure seemed to move in it for an instant. Then I felt the burning tears run down my face, and it was steady again.
'She is very dangerously ill,' she added.
I knew all now.
'She is dead.'

CJ

Clive · Answer

We're terribly sorry, but it would appear that your aircraft has been destroyed.

The solicitous and extremely polite tone of this statement contrasts very oddly with the disastrous information about the other person's plane.

To me, the speaker sounds sarcastic. In a context where events are leading to war, I can imagine him saying this on the phone and then jumping up and down gleefully.

Clive

It would appear?

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