Standardization is the act of making many things the same as each other, so that they all follow one agreed pattern.

Standardization標準化(standardization) is the act of making many things the same as each other是讓很多東西彼此變得一樣的這個動作 so that they all follow one agreed pattern好讓它們全部都遵循同一個約定好的規格

Screws that all fit the same holes. Paper that is all A4. Trains that all use the same width of track. Tests that every student takes in exactly the same form.

Screws that all fit the same holes像是螺絲都能鎖進同樣的孔 Paper that is all A4紙張都是A4尺寸 Trains that all use the same width of track火車都用同樣寬度的軌道 Tests that every student takes in exactly the same form考試每個學生都用完全一樣的形式來考

Before standardization, everyone does it their own way; after it, everyone does it one way.

Before standardization在standardization之前 everyone does it their own way大家各做各的 after it之後 everyone does it one way大家就用同一種方式做

The word usually carries a good feeling in engineering and business, because sameness is what lets things work together. If every factory makes a slightly different plug, nothing fits anything. Standardization is why your charger works in your friend's house.

The word usually carries a good feeling in engineering and business這個字在工程和商業領域通常帶有正面的感覺 because sameness is what lets things work together因為統一性正是讓東西能夠互相搭配運作的原因 If every factory makes a slightly different plug如果每家工廠做出來的插頭都有點不一樣 nothing fits anything那就什麼都對不上什麼 Standardization標準化(standardization) is why your charger works in your friend's house就是為什麼你的充電器在朋友家也能用的原因

But — and this is the part worth hearing — the same word turns cold very quickly when you point it at people. "The standardization of education" is not a compliment. It suggests that children are being made uniform, that teachers have lost their freedom, that something living has been flattened into one shape. Same word, and the feeling flips depending on whether the thing being made the same is a bolt or a person. Listen for which one is meant.

But — and this is the part worth hearing但是——這部分值得聽仔細—— when you point it at people當你把它用在人身上時 the same word turns cold very quickly這個字很快就會變得冷冰冰的 "The standardization of education""The standardization of education"（教育的標準化） is not a compliment不是一句稱讚 It suggests that children are being made uniform它暗示著孩子們正被弄得千篇一律 that teachers have lost their freedom老師失去了自主空間 that something living has been flattened into one shape某個活生生的東西被壓扁成同一種形狀 Same word同一個字 and the feeling flips但感覺會不同 depending on whether the thing being made the same is a bolt or a person就看被弄成一樣的東西是螺栓還是人 Listen for which one is meant要聽清楚指的是哪一種

A few practical notes. It is usually uncountable: "standardization of the process". American English spells it with a z; British English accepts both standardization and standardisation, and the -ise form is common in the UK. It is a formal word, at home in reports and business writing rather than in chat — in conversation people say "making everything the same".

A few practical notes幾個實用的小提醒 It is usually uncountable它通常是不可數名詞 "standardization of the process""standardization of the process"（流程的標準化） American English spells it with a z美式英文用z拼 British English accepts both standardization and standardisation英式英文standardization和standardisation兩種都接受 and the -ise form is common in the UK而-ise的拼法在英國很常見 It is a formal word這是個正式的字 at home in reports and business writing rather than in chat常出現在報告和商業文書裡，而不是聊天時 in conversation people say "making everything the same"平常說話時人們會說"making everything the same"（讓每樣東西都一樣）