befogenhet

00:59 Dec 23, 2011 

Yes, to answer your question. The sentence translation is "Competence and authority is not the same thing" Which is true in my mind.

00:58 Dec 23, 2011 

Åsa, "Behörighet och befogenhet är inte samma sak." as put by the Asker. May I offer the term competence/qualification (supported by the respective certificate) as the English equvivalent to "behörighet". We in Sweden face today in schools the problem of too many teachers, who are not behörig in their respective subjects.

00:44 Dec 23, 2011 

I agree that "authority" is a nice translation of "befogenhet" and the first translation that comes to mind, but wouldn't you use that term for "behörighet" in the sentence? Thus, both terms can be translated as "authority" but whereas I see no other option for "behörighet," I see "right(s)" and "powers" as alternative translations for "befogenhet."