Polyphonic describes music where several tunes, or several independent lines of notes, are sung or played at the same time, and each line could almost stand on its own. A round like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” is a simple picture of this, and a lot of old church choir music is the classic case.

Polyphonic describes musicpolyphonic是用來形容一種音樂 where several tunes, or several independent lines of notes裡面有好幾條旋律，或好幾條各自獨立的音符線 are sung or played at the same time同時被唱出來或演奏出來 and each line could almost stand on its own而且每一條線幾乎都能自己獨立成立 A round like Row, Row, Row Your Boat像《Row, Row, Row Your Boat》這種輪唱曲 is a simple picture of this就是一個簡單的例子 and a lot of old church choir music is the classic case而很多古老的教會合唱音樂就是最經典的例子

It is not the same as one singer with chords or a band underneath — that is still mainly one tune, even if it sounds full.

It is not the same as這跟……不一樣 one singer with chords or a band underneath一個歌手加上和弦，或底下有樂隊伴奏 that is still mainly one tune那基本上還是只有一條旋律 even if it sounds full就算聽起來很豐富

The word belongs to music class, choir, and writing about classical music; pop songs are rarely called polyphonic.

The word belongs to music class, choir, and writing about classical music這個字是音樂課、合唱團，還有古典音樂寫作裡才會用的 pop songs are rarely called polyphonic流行歌很少被叫做polyphonic

Though actually, people have stretched it: old mobile phones sold “polyphonic ringtones” just to mean several notes at once instead of a single beep. That shop use is looser, but it is the same “many sounds at once” idea.

Though actually不過其實 people have stretched it人們把這個字用得更寬鬆了 old mobile phones sold polyphonic ringtones以前的手機會賣「polyphonic鈴聲」 just to mean several notes at once instead of a single beep意思只是同時有好幾個音，而不是單一嗶聲 That shop use is looser那種商業上的用法比較鬆散 but it is the same many sounds at once idea但概念一樣，都是「同時有很多聲音」