When we say a system is Boolean, we mean it only has two sides: true or false, yes or no, on or off — never a soft “maybe” in the middle. Computers are built on this idea, because a chip is really a huge set of tiny switches that are either on or off.

When we say a system is Boolean當我們說一個系統是Boolean，we mean it only has two sides意思是它只有兩面：true or false, yes or no, on or off像true或false、yes或no、on或off——never a soft "maybe" in the middle中間絕對沒有模糊的「也許」。Computers are built on this idea電腦就是建立在這個概念上，because a chip is really a huge set of tiny switches that are either on or off因為晶片其實就是一大堆不是開就是關的小開關。

Programmers use Boolean values all day, and they join statements with little linking words called operators: AND (both must be true), OR (at least one is true), and NOT (flip true to false, or false to true). Internet search uses the same trick: “cats AND dogs” keeps only pages with both; “cats NOT dogs” throws the dogs out.

Programmers use Boolean values all day工程師整天都在用Boolean值，and they join statements with little linking words called operators然後用一種叫operator（運算子）的小連接詞把句子接起來：AND (both must be true)像AND（兩個都要成立）、OR (at least one is true)OR（至少一個成立）、and NOT (flip true to false, or false to true)還有NOT（把true變成false，或把false變成true）。Internet search uses the same trick網路搜尋用的也是同一招："cats AND dogs" keeps only pages with both像"cats AND dogs"只留下兩個字都有的網頁；"cats NOT dogs" throws the dogs out"cats NOT dogs"就會把有dogs的網頁去掉。

The word can be an adjective (Boolean logic) or a noun (a Boolean). Careful English often keeps the capital B, because it is a person’s name; in code you will usually see boolean in small letters.

The word can be an adjective (Boolean logic) or a noun (a Boolean)這個字可以當形容詞（像Boolean logic），也可以當名詞（像a Boolean）。Careful English often keeps the capital B嚴謹一點的英文通常會保留大寫的B，because it is a person's name因為它源自一個人的名字；in code you will usually see boolean in small letters在程式碼裡你通常會看到小寫的boolean。

Though actually, people stretch it in everyday talk to mean any blunt yes/no test, even far from computers.

Though actually不過老實說，people stretch it in everyday talk to mean any blunt yes/no test人們在日常對話裡也會把它用得更寬，指任何非黑即白的判斷，even far from computers就算跟電腦完全沒關係也一樣。