unrecognizable
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unrecognizable
Changed, damaged, or covered so severely that the original person or thing can no longer be recognized.
Durch den Brand wurde das Gebäude bis zur Unkenntlichkeit zerstört.
The building was destroyed beyond recognition by the fire.
The adjective is made up of the negative prefix 'un-' and the word 'kenntlich' (recognizable). 'Kenntlich' comes from 'kennen' (to know). So 'unkenntlich' literally means 'not recognizable'.
Seine Handschrift war so schlecht, dass die Notizen fast unkenntlich waren.
His handwriting was so bad that the notes were almost unrecognizable.
The adjective is very commonly used in the fixed expression 'bis zur Unkenntlichkeit' (beyond recognition) to express an extreme degree of change or destruction. It often appears with verbs such as 'verändern' (to change), 'zerstören' (to destroy), or 'verbrennen' (to burn).
Das alte Foto war durch die Sonneneinstrahlung bis zur Unkenntlichkeit verblasst.
The old photo had faded beyond recognition because of the sunlight.
In this meaning, 'unkenntlich' is almost always used as part of the fixed combination 'etwas unkenntlich machen' (to make something unrecognizable). Typical objects are things you want to hide for privacy reasons, such as 'Gesichter' (faces), 'Namen' (names), or 'Autokennzeichen' (license plates).
Bevor er das Dokument weitergab, machte er alle persönlichen Daten unkenntlich.
Before he passed on the document, he made all personal data unrecognizable.
recognizable
'erkennbar' and 'unkenntlich' are opposites when it comes to whether you can identify a person or thing. 'erkennbar' means that you can see or perceive something clearly enough to recognize it. 'unkenntlich' means that something has been changed, damaged, or covered in such a way that it can no longer be recognized. The words can be confused because both are connected to 'kennen' and 'erkennen'. The important point is: 'unkenntlich' does not simply mean 'invisible', but 'no longer identifiable', often after a change or intentional action.
Vor der Veröffentlichung hat die Zeitung die Gesichter der Kinder unkenntlich gemacht.
Before publication, the newspaper made the children's faces unrecognizable.
Auf dem Ausweis muss das Foto klar erkennbar sein.
The photo on the ID must be clearly recognizable.