Usage of まるで with 見ているようだった.


> その翼はとても滑らかに動くため、まるでコンピュータ・グラフィックスを見ているようだった。
>
> Its wings were moving so smoothly that it almost looked like CGI.

or would a more accurate translation be:

> Its wings were moving so smoothly that it felt like I was looking at a CGI
> simulation.

I have a few questions about this sentence.

Is 見ているようだった better translated as "it almost looked like" or "felt like I was
looking at"?  
Is this 見ている the act of looking, or is it "looking like"?

Thirdly is the まるで somewhat superfluous? (I don't say this to be critical of
the Japanese language I am just interested in the subtleties)

If it is meaning "just like" in this sentence, is that role not also being
played by the "ようだった"? Or is that just an established usage -- まるで ending with
"ようだった"-- that flows naturally without any repetitive quality? ( it sounds
fine to my ear I was just interested in any clarifications )

Lastly, and this question is a bit superfluous, is CGI commonly used in
Japanese or is コンピュータ・グラフィックス usually used instead? コンピュータ・グラフィックス sounds a
little dated to me, though I found this sentence on Lang8 yesterday. I
apologize for using superfluous twice.




> Its wings were moving so smoothly that it felt like I was looking at a CGI
> simulation.

"ようだ" is not feeling, it's factual appearance. I'd thus go for

[code]

    …that it looked I was watching CGs
    
[/code]

> Is 見ているようだった better translated as "it almost looked like" or "felt like I
> was looking at"?

See above.

> Is this 見ている the act of looking, or is it "looking like"?

The act of you _watching_

> Thirdly is the まるで somewhat superfluous?

Natural Japanese is the art of the superfluous. Here, I guess it just adds a
nuance like "I was **so** impressed." You would agree that "so" is
superfluous, but not useless, wouldn't you?

> CGI commonly used in Japanese or is コンピュータ・グラフィックス usually used instead?

<http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Generated_Imagery>




> Its wings were moving so smoothly that it felt like I was looking at a CGI
> simulation.

"ようだ" is not feeling, it's factual appearance. I'd thus go for

[code]

    …that it looked I was watching CGs
    
[/code]

> Is 見ているようだった better translated as "it almost looked like" or "felt like I
> was looking at"?

See above.

> Is this 見ている the act of looking, or is it "looking like"?

The act of you _watching_

> Thirdly is the まるで somewhat superfluous?

Natural Japanese is the art of the superfluous. Here, I guess it just adds a
nuance like "I was **so** impressed." You would agree that "so" is
superfluous, but not useless, wouldn't you?

> CGI commonly used in Japanese or is コンピュータ・グラフィックス usually used instead?

<http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_Generated_Imagery>

