A spinster is an unmarried woman, and the word carries the suggestion that she is past the age when people expected her to marry, and probably will not now. That suggestion is the whole problem with the word.

A spinster spinster is an unmarried woman是指未婚的女性 and the word carries the suggestion而且這個詞還帶著一種暗示 that she is past the age when people expected her to marry說她已經過了大家預期她該結婚的年紀 and probably will not now而且現在大概也不會結了 That suggestion is the whole problem with the word這個暗示正是這個詞的全部問題所在

It is not neutral. It sounds unkind, old-fashioned and a bit pitying, and it comes with a picture attached — a quiet older woman living alone, often in an old novel.

It is not neutral它不是中性的詞 It sounds unkind, old-fashioned and a bit pitying它聽起來不友善、老派、還帶點可憐的意味 and it comes with a picture attached而且還附帶一個畫面 a quiet older woman living alone一個安靜、獨居的老年女性 often in an old novel常出現在老小說裡

Because of that, careful speakers today avoid it about real people; 'single woman' or 'unmarried woman' is what you would actually say.

Because of that正因為如此 careful speakers today avoid it about real people現在講話謹慎的人在講真實的人時會避免用這個詞 'single woman' or 'unmarried woman' is what you would actually say你實際上會說的是 'single woman' 或 'unmarried woman'

You still meet the word in three places: in older books, where it is simply the ordinary word of its time; in British legal and official language, where 'spinster' used to appear on marriage documents as a woman's status; and in the fixed insult 'a dried-up old spinster', or the joke phrase 'spinster aunt'.

You still meet the word in three places你還是會在三個地方遇到這個詞 in older books, where it is simply the ordinary word of its time在老書裡，它只是當時很普通的用詞 in British legal and official language在英國的法律和官方用語裡 where 'spinster' used to appear on marriage documents as a woman's status 'spinster' 以前會出現在結婚文件上標示女性的身分狀態 and in the fixed insult 'a dried-up old spinster', or the joke phrase 'spinster aunt'還有在固定的侮辱說法 'a dried-up old spinster'，或玩笑話 'spinster aunt' 裡

Some women now use it about themselves on purpose, taking the sting out of it — but that is their choice to make, not yours to make for them. There is no equally cutting word for men: 'bachelor' sounds free and enviable, which tells you a lot about where 'spinster' came from.

Some women now use it about themselves on purpose現在有些女性會故意這樣稱呼自己 taking the sting out of it把這個詞的刺拔掉 but that is their choice to make不過那是她們自己的選擇 not yours to make for them不是別人可以替她們決定的 There is no equally cutting word for men男性沒有一個同樣尖銳的對應詞 'bachelor' sounds free and enviable 'bachelor'（單身漢）聽起來自由又令人羨慕 which tells you a lot about where 'spinster' came from這也說明了 'spinster' 這個詞是從哪裡來的