核心畫面

Picture a dry bean on a wet cloth. For two days nothing at all happens. Then the skin splits and a thin white root pushes out of the crack. Germinate is that moment and only that moment — the switch from still to growing. Everything afterwards, the stem, the leaves, the height, is grow. English keeps the word for the beginning, which is why it also fits the first small stirring of an idea.

可以想成一顆乾豆子放在濕棉布上。前兩天完全沒動靜。然後外皮裂開,一條細細白白的根從縫裡擠出來。germinate 抓更多收起可以想成一顆乾豆子放在濕棉布上。前兩天完全沒動靜。然後外皮裂開,一條細細白白的根從縫裡擠出來。germinate 抓住的就是那一刻——從靜止變成開始長。之後長莖、長葉、長高,那些都叫 grow。英文把這個字留給「開始」,所以一個念頭最初的那一點動靜,也能用同一個畫面來寫。

From the word’s history

The word comes from Latin germen, germinis, a shoot or bud, and the verb germino, to sprout or bud. So from the start it named the first shoot appearing, which is exactly what the modern core still is.

這個字來自拉丁文 germen(屬格 germinis),意思是「芽、嫩枝」,動詞 germinō 就是「發芽、長出來」。也就是說,它從最早就在講「第一個芽冒出來」那一刻,跟今天的核心畫面是同一件事。

Wiktionary entry for germinate (kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:1321010210): "From oblique stem of Latin germen, germinis (shoot, sprout, bud) + -ate..."

Two branches

種子開始長

這一組就是核心畫面本身。

verb · B2

When a seed germinates, it starts to grow and pushes out its first root and leaves. You can also germinate seeds, which means giving them the water and warmth that make them start.

發芽

念頭開始長

同一個畫面,從土裡搬進腦袋裡:小、剛開始、而且慢。

verb · C1

When an idea, a plan, or a feeling germinates, it starts to form in someone's mind and slowly grows there.

萌生、開始醞釀