Talmudic is the adjective from 'Talmud', the great collection of Jewish law and argument. In its plain sense it just means 'belonging to or found in the Talmud': Talmudic law, a Talmudic scholar, a Talmudic story, the Talmudic period. Used this way it is neutral and descriptive, the ordinary word for anyone writing about Judaism.

Talmudic「Talmudic」 is the adjective from 'Talmud'是「Talmud」的形容詞， the great collection of Jewish law and argument而「Talmud」是猶太教偉大的律法與論辯彙編。 In its plain sense就字面意思來說， it just means 'belonging to or found in the Talmud'它只是指「屬於塔木德、或出現在塔木德裡的」： Talmudic law塔木德法、 a Talmudic scholar塔木德學者、 a Talmudic story塔木德故事、 the Talmudic period塔木德時期等等。 Used this way這樣用的時候， it is neutral and descriptive它是中性、純描述性的， the ordinary word for anyone writing about Judaism是任何寫猶太教文章的人都會用的普通詞彙。

But it also has a second life outside religion, and this is where you will most often meet it in newspapers. Because the Talmud is famous for very fine, very careful, very long argument — splitting a question into smaller and smaller pieces, weighing rare cases, never letting a difficulty go — people describe any reasoning like that as Talmudic.

But it also has a second life outside religion不過它在宗教之外還有第二種用法， and this is where you will most often meet it in newspapers而這也是你在報紙上最常遇到它的地方。 Because the Talmud is famous for very fine, very careful, very long argument因為塔木德以極其細膩、極其謹慎、極其冗長的論證出名， splitting a question into smaller and smaller pieces把一個問題切成越來越小的部分、 weighing rare cases權衡各種罕見情況、 never letting a difficulty go絕不放過任何一個難點—— people describe any reasoning like that as Talmudic人們就把這樣的推理方式稱為「Talmudic」。

'The contract was written with Talmudic care.' 'They fell into a Talmudic argument about what counts as a sandwich.' In this second use the tone shifts with the speaker.

'The contract was written with Talmudic care.'「這份合約寫得極其講究入微（with Talmudic care）。」 'They fell into a Talmudic argument about what counts as a sandwich.'「他們陷入一場關於什麼才算三明治的繁瑣爭論（a Talmudic argument）。」 In this second use在這第二種用法裡， the tone shifts with the speaker語氣會隨說話的人而變。

It can be admiring, meaning deeply learned and rigorous. It can also be a gentle dig, meaning far too clever and detailed for something that does not deserve it.

It can be admiring它可以是讚賞的意思， meaning deeply learned and rigorous指博學又嚴謹。 It can also be a gentle dig它也可以是輕輕的挖苦， meaning far too clever and detailed意思是聰明又講究過了頭， for something that does not deserve it對一件不值得這麼認真的事。

Listen to the sentence around it to know which is meant. Usually capitalised, since it comes from a name.

Listen to the sentence around it聽懂周圍的句子， to know which is meant才知道是哪一種意思。 Usually capitalised通常會大寫， since it comes from a name因為它是從一個專有名詞來的。