differences - "The service is temporarily unavailable" vs. "...not available"


Is there a difference? Both versions are common.


If there is a difference, which do I use when, and why?



Answer



Grammatically they are interchangeable. The very definition of "unavailable" is "not available". However, my gut tells me something else. When I see 'unavailable' it immediately connotes that it's a temporary condition:



The senator was unavailable for comment. He may be available later.


The web page was unavailable all afternoon. But then it came back online.



Whereas when I see 'not available' it implies to me that it's a stronger or more permanent situation. Maybe because of the emphasized not?



This service is not available in New York. And it's not likely to be any time soon.


The web page is not available outside the company. Because it's private.



While you could legitimately substitute "not available" for "unavailable" in those examples (and vice-versa), I wouldn't.


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