Self-determination, in this sense, is the right of the people of a country or a people to govern themselves and to choose what kind of government they will have. Nobody outside is supposed to decide that for them.

Self-determination, in this sense在這個意義下的self-determination，is是 the right of the people of a country or a people to govern themselves and to choose what kind of government they will have一個國家的人民或一個民族自己治理自己、並選擇自己要什麼樣政府的權利。Nobody outside is supposed to decide that for them外面的人不應該替他們做這個決定。

You will hear it in history, law, and politics: speeches, treaties, news, classroom debates. It is a big, formal word, not a word for everyday chores.

You will hear it in history, law, and politics你會在歷史、法律、和政治裡聽到它：speeches, treaties, news, classroom debates演講、條約、新聞、課堂辯論。It is a big, formal word, not a word for everyday chores這是一個很大、很正式的詞，不是用在日常瑣事上的詞。

Though actually the same spelling can also be used about one person’s right to make their own life choices — doctors and teachers use that sense — but that is not this entry. Here the “self” is a people, not one student.

Though actually不過事實上 the same spelling can also be used about one person's right to make their own life choices同樣的拼法也可以用在一個人自己做人生選擇的權利上——doctors and teachers use that sense醫生和老師會用那個意思——but that is not this entry但那不是這個詞條。Here the “self” is a people, not one student這裡的「self」指的是一個民族，不是一個學生。

Older civic writing loves this noun; younger speakers may say “the right to decide for ourselves” and mean something close, though not always the same legal idea.

Older civic writing loves this noun比較舊的公民寫作很愛用這個名詞；younger speakers may say “the right to decide for ourselves”年輕一點的人可能會說「the right to decide for ourselves」 and mean something close, though not always the same legal idea意思相近，但不一定是同一個法律概念。