'see you later' and 'see you later on' same thing?

[AnnieWednesday]

Or is there a difference that's escaping me?

I don't think there is a difference, but being a literal soul I get a bit unnerved when someone says either instead of "goodbye" - it always sounds as though we have an arrangement to meet up later in the day when I'm fairly sure we haven't.

Hmmm. I would tend to use "See you later," as a goodbye, and "See you later on," when I know I'll be seeing that person in a short while, having pre-arranged it.

To me the use of "see you later" has a silent part to it as in "I hope to see you at some later stage" whereas "see you later on" is more that you will definitely see that person soon (though not always with any firm plan).
Not sure am I making sense. But no, they're not the same.

I thought it would be more unspecified in the 'later on', sometime in the future.

I would say "see you later on" means I will be seeing you later today. "See you later" is something I say instead of goodbye, to people I expect to see at some point soon.

See you later = goodbye and see you soon
See you later on = goodbye and see you later TODAY

I don't think there is technically a difference, and I would never use either to mean "bye", but I agree that "see you later ON" sounds more specific, that there is a definite pre-arranged time when the person speaking knows they will see the other one, whereas "see you later" is less defined.

"See you later on"is a shortened version of "See you later on in the day", no? Whereas "See you later" is non-specific about when you'll next meet, although it's anticipated you'll see one another soon.

I'm from Ireland. See you later would mean goodbye. See you later on would mean you will be seeing the person later.

Yes - agree 'see you later on' means see you later on today. However, as a literal soul I tend to say 'see you the next time' if I have no specific plans to see you someone and 'see you later/later on' where I have plans to see them.

If that makes any sense!!