A confederation is a group of people, political parties, or organisations that have united for politics or for trade. Each member keeps its own name and a lot of its own power; they have agreed to act together, not to melt into one body.

A confederation一個confederation is a group of people, political parties, or organisations是一群人、政黨，或組織所組成的團體，that have united for politics or for trade他們為了政治或貿易而聯合起來。Each member每個成員 keeps its own name and a lot of its own power都保留自己的名字和大部分的權力；they have agreed to act together他們同意一起行動，not to melt into one body而不是融合成單一整體。

You will see it on the news for big umbrellas of unions or parties, and in history class for countries: Switzerland still calls itself a confederation, and Canada's birth is often named Confederation. It is a formal, textbook-and-newspaper word.

You will see it on the news你會在新聞裡看到這個詞 for big umbrellas of unions or parties用來指工會或政黨的大聯盟，and in history class也會在歷史課裡看到 for countries用來指國家：Switzerland still calls itself a confederation瑞士至今仍自稱是一個confederation，and Canada's birth is often named Confederation而加拿大的建國常被稱為Confederation。It它 is a formal, textbook-and-newspaper word是個正式、常出現在教科書和報紙上的詞。

Though actually, English speakers mix confederacy, confederation, and federation in the street. In political science a confederation is looser than a federation — members can still walk away more easily — but a headline will not always honour that tidy line.

Though actually不過實際上，English speakers英語使用者 mix confederacy, confederation, and federation in the street在日常口語裡常把confederacy、confederation和federation搞混。In political science在政治學裡 a confederation is looser than a federation confederation比federation鬆散——members can still walk away more easily成員仍然比較容易脫離——but a headline will not always honour that tidy line但新聞標題不見得會守著這條清楚的界線。