oberflächig

Oberflig is a German adjective and, in many contexts, an adverbial modifier meaning superficial or on the surface. It describes things that relate to the outer layer or that lack depth in understanding, analysis, or treatment.

Etymology and forms: The word is derived from the noun Oberfläche (surface) with the suffix -ig. The common figurative form for the qualitative sense is oberflächlich, but oberflächig is also attested and widely used, especially in contexts that emphasize physical surfaces or surface phenomena.

Usage and nuance: Oberflächlich commonly conveys a judgment that a matter has been treated too lightly or without considering underlying causes. Oberflächig often appears in more literal or technical contexts, such as discussing surface characteristics or surface-level measurements. Typical collocations include eine oberflächliche Erklärung, eine oberflächliche Untersuchung, oder oberflächliches Denken.

Contexts and examples: In philosophy, sociology or journalism, the term distinguishes between shallow versus deep analysis. In Wissenschaften (sciences) it can denote phenomena confined to the outer layer rather than the bulk. The opposite concept is tiefgründig (profound, deep).

See also: Tiefgründigkeit, Oberfläche, Tiefgründig, oberflächlicher Gegenstand. Oberflächlich ist die gängigere Figurationsform im figurativen Sinn, während oberflächig stärker auf physische Oberflächen bezogen sein kann.