Exhibit展品
intellect
/ˈɪntəlekt/
What is being chosen when someone understands?一个人理解的时候，被选择的是什么？
Today此刻
The faculty of reasoning and understanding.推理和理解的能力。
Historical历史形态
Take it apart拆开来看
The cut inter- plus legere explains Latin intellegere. English borrowed intellectus, the noun, as a whole faculty. Do not treat “choose between” as an old English definition of intellect.inter- 加 legere 解释的是拉丁语 intellegere。英语借入的是名词 intellectus，作为一种完整的能力。不要把“在其间选择”当成 intellect 的旧英语定义。
Travel through time穿过时间
Latin拉丁语
legere
to choose, to read选择，阅读
Latin拉丁语
intellegere
to discern, to understand辨识，理解
Latin拉丁语
intellectus
understanding, the faculty理解，这种能力
English英语
intellect
the faculty of understanding理解的能力
How the meaning moved意义如何移动
01 · Latin, then English01 · 拉丁语，然后是英语
understanding, the faculty of knowing理解，认识的能力
02 · English02 · 英语
a person’s power of reasoning一个人推理的力量
Story故事
A choosing between在其间选择
Latin legere is to choose, to pick out, and also to read. Intellegere puts inter-, between, in front of it: to choose between, to discern. Intellectus is the understanding that results, the faculty itself. English borrows the noun.
The “choosing between” is the analysis of the Latin verb. It is not a recorded meaning of the English word intellect, which has meant the faculty of understanding for as long as English has had it. The exhibit keeps the image in the anatomy, and keeps the meanings honest.
Psyche, beside it, is a Greek word for breath, life, and soul. Intellect is a Latin name for a power. One is almost a creature. The other is almost a tool. English uses both when it talks about a mind.
拉丁语 legere 是选择、拣出，也是阅读。Intellegere 把 inter-（在……之间）放在前面：在其间选择，辨识。Intellectus 是由此而来的理解，能力本身。英语借入这个名词。
“在其间选择”是对拉丁语动词的分析。它不是英语 intellect 有过记载的意思。英语一有这个词，它表示的就是理解的能力。展品把这幅图画留在拆词里，也让意义保持诚实。
旁边的 psyche 是希腊语里表示气息、生命和灵魂的词。intellect 是一种能力的拉丁语名字。一个几乎是一个生物。另一个几乎是一件工具。英语谈论心灵的时候两者都用。
Keep wandering继续漫游
Research notes研究笔记
Confidence · High把握 · 高
The outline is the ordinary account in historical dictionaries.轮廓与历史词典里的通行说法一致。
Sources出处
An outline for the visitor, not a critical edition.给访客的纲要，不是校勘本。