What is the difference between とはいえ and と(は)いっても?


> **Possible Duplicate:**  
>  [と言っても vs とは言え
> .](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/2030/%e3%81%a8%e8%a8%80%e3%81%a3%e3%81%a6%e3%82%82-vs-%e3%81%a8%e3%81%af%e8%a8%80%e3%81%88)

Apparently they mean the same thing (although, that being said) and yet there
are cases when only one of them can be used. For example:
梅雨とはいえ、これほど雨が続くのも珍しい。




The subtle difference between the two expressions is that とはいっても sounds a bit
more emphatic about providing evidence that appears contrary to the sentence
that precedes it. For example, when you say

> エール卒とはいえ、ブッシュ大統領は知的にみえなかった。
>
> エール卒とはいっても、ブッシュ大統領は知的にみえなかった。

The latter sounds a bit more emphatic. I am sure these are not the most
effective ways to translate them, but you see a subtle difference in the
connotations when I translate as follows:

> President Bush was a Yale graduate but did not appear intelligent.
>
> Despite being a Yale graduate, President Bush did not appear intelligent.

The former sounds more neutral whereas the latter sounds more emphatic.

