Hypnotism is the practice of hypnotizing people — the skill, the method, the whole business of guiding someone into that sleep-like focused state.

Hypnotism催眠術 is the practice of hypnotizing people是催眠別人這件事—— the skill這項技巧， the method這種方法， the whole business of guiding someone into that sleep-like focused state整套引導人進入那種類似睡眠、專注狀態的功夫。

In the 1800s this was a fashionable word for what looked like a new science; today it can sound a little old or theatrical next to hypnosis and hypnotherapy. People still use it for stage craft (“a show of hypnotism”) and for the general idea of the technique.

In the 1800s在十九世紀， this was a fashionable word這是個流行的詞 for what looked like a new science用來講看起來像新科學的東西； today到了今天 it can sound a little old or theatrical它聽起來可能有點過時、有點戲劇化 next to hypnosis and hypnotherapy跟hypnosis、hypnotherapy比起來。People still use it大家還是會用這個詞 for stage craft講舞台表演（ "a show of hypnotism"「一場催眠術表演」） and for the general idea of the technique也用來講這項技術的整體概念。

Though actually, everyday talk mixes hypnotism, hypnosis, and hypnotherapy. More carefully: hypnotism is the doing; hypnosis is the state you enter; hypnotherapy is using that state to treat a problem.

Though actually不過其實， everyday talk日常說法 mixes hypnotism, hypnosis, and hypnotherapy會把hypnotism、hypnosis和hypnotherapy混在一起用。More carefully講精確一點： hypnotism is the doinghypnotism是「做這件事」； hypnosis is the state you enterhypnosis是你進入的那個狀態； hypnotherapy is using that state to treat a problemhypnotherapy是用那個狀態來治療問題。

You can talk about the history of hypnotism without talking about a clinic at all.

You can talk about the history of hypnotism你可以只講催眠術的歷史 without talking about a clinic at all完全不用提到診所。