核心畫面

You can picture two statements standing face to face, pushing against each other: one says the light was red, the other says it was green. They cannot both stand. Sometimes a person does the pushing, sometimes the two facts do it by themselves.

可以想成兩句話面對面互相頂著:一句說燈是紅的,一句說燈是綠的,兩句沒辦法同時站得住。有時候是人出聲去頂另一個人,有時更多收起可以想成兩句話面對面互相頂著:一句說燈是紅的,一句說燈是綠的,兩句沒辦法同時站得住。有時候是人出聲去頂另一個人,有時候是兩個說法自己頂了起來。

From the word’s history

From Latin contradicere, literally 'to speak against': contra 'against' + dicere 'to say'. English took it in the 1570s as 'speak against, oppose', and by 1600 it was also used of statements that are inconsistent with each other.

來自拉丁文 contradicere,字面就是「對著說」:contra「相對、相反」+ dicere「說」。英文 1570 年代借來時是「出聲反對」,到 1600 年前後也拿來講兩個說法彼此對不上。「話對著話」這個畫面,就是這個字三種用法共同的骨架。

Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/contradict

Two branches

開口反駁別人

由人來執行「對著說」:你說 A,我當場說不對,是 B。

say the opposite · verb · C1

To say that someone or something is wrong, especially by saying the opposite is true.

反駁

說法本身互相牴觸

沒有人出聲,是兩段話自己頂在一起:連自己先後說過的兩句話,也可以這樣互相頂。

be inconsistent with · verb · C1

If one statement, story, or fact contradicts another, the two are so different that both cannot be true.

與…相矛盾

原始詞典資料7 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

contradictverb/ˌkɒn.tɹəˈdɪkt/

  • 1

    To deny the truth or validity of (a statement or statements).

    • His testimony contradicts hers.
    • 1651, Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, London: Andrew Crooke, Chapter 42 “Of Power Ecclesiasticall,” p. 270, […] the Ministers of Christ in this world, have no Power by that title, to Punish any man for not Beleeving, or for Contradicting what they say;
  • 2

    To oppose (a person) by denying the truth or pertinence of a given statement.

    • Everything he says contradicts me.
    • Dear Duff, I prithee, contradict thyself, And say it is not so.
  • 3

    To be contrary to (something).

    • Now no truth can contradict any truth; desirous therefore they were to be taught, how bothe might stand together, that which they knew could not be false, because Christ spake it; and this which to them did seeme true, onely because the Scribes had said it.
    • […] as he is going to a house dedicated to joy and mirth, it was fit he should divest himself of whatever was likely to contradict that intention, or be inconsistent with it.
  • 4

    To say things that conflict with each other.

    • The prime minister contradicted herself during her speech.
  • 5

    obsoleteTo give an order contrary to (another order or wish), oppose (something).

    • […] when was the hour I ever contradicted your desire, Or made it not mine too?
    • 1662, Margaret Cavendish, The Matrimonial Trouble, Act II, Scene 21 in Playes written by the thrice noble, illustrious and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle, London: John Martyn et al., p. 435, Lady Sprightly. What had you to do to contradict my commands? Doll Subtilty. They were not fit to be obey’d, wherefore they were forbid.
  • 6

    obsoleteTo give an order contrary to one given by (another person), oppose or resist (someone).

    • Beseemes it thee to contradict thy king? […] I will haue Gaueston, and you shall know, What danger tis to stand against your king.
    • A greater power than we can contradict Hath thwarted our intents.
  • 7

    obsoleteTo speak against; to forbid.

    • […] magic hath been publicly professed in former times, in Salamanca, Cracovia, and other places, though after censured by several universities, and now generally contradicted, though practised by some still […].

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。