If an idea, an argument, a belief, or a position is tenable, you can hold on to it — you can keep defending it when other people push back, because the reasons behind it still stand up. It is a formal word, and it belongs to serious talk: academic writing, law, politics, editorials, a doctor explaining why one explanation of your symptoms fits and another does not.

If an idea, an argument, a belief, or a position is tenable如果一個想法、論點、信念或立場是tenable的, you can hold on to it代表你能站得住腳——you can keep defending it別人反駁時你還能繼續為它辯護 when other people push back, because the reasons behind it still stand up因為背後的理由依然成立. It is a formal word這是個正式的字, and it belongs to serious talk用在嚴肅的場合: academic writing, law, politics, editorials學術寫作、法律、政治、社論, a doctor explaining why one explanation of your symptoms fits and another does not或醫生解釋為什麼某個對你症狀的解釋說得通、另一個說不通.

Here is the thing that surprises students: the negative is far more common than the positive. You will meet 'no longer tenable' and 'not tenable' many, many times for every one time you meet a plain 'that view is tenable'. People reach for this word most often at the moment a position collapses — 'after the new evidence, his story was simply not tenable.' So the natural home of the word is the sentence where something falls apart.

Here is the thing that surprises students讓學生驚訝的是: the negative is far more common than the positive否定形式遠比肯定形式常見. You will meet你會遇到 'no longer tenable' and 'not tenable''no longer tenable'和'not tenable' many, many times很多很多次 for every one time you meet才會遇到一次 a plain 'that view is tenable'單純的'that view is tenable'. People reach for this word most often人們最常用這個字 at the moment a position collapses在一個立場垮掉的那一刻——'after the new evidence, his story was simply not tenable.''after the new evidence, his story was simply not tenable.'（有了新證據之後，他的說法就完全站不住腳了。） So因此 the natural home of the word is the sentence where something falls apart這個字自然出現的地方，就是事情崩解的那個句子.

Notice also that tenable is a modest kind of praise. It does not say an idea is right, or proved, or best. It says only that the idea survives — it has not been knocked down. A judge can say two opposite readings of a law are both tenable. So if you tell your professor 'your argument is tenable', do not expect a big smile; you have said it is defensible, not that it is good.

Notice also也要注意 that tenable is a modest kind of praisetenable是一種保守、有限度的稱讚. It does not say它不是說 an idea is right, or proved, or best一個想法是對的、被證實的，或是最好的. It says only它只是說 that the idea survives這個想法還活著——it has not been knocked down還沒被推翻. A judge can say一個法官可以說, two opposite readings of a law一條法律的兩種相反解讀 are both tenable都是tenable的. So所以 if you tell your professor如果你跟教授說 'your argument is tenable''your argument is tenable', do not expect a big smile別期待他會笑得很開心; you have said it is defensible你說的是這個論點站得住腳, not that it is good不是說它很好.

There is a second, quite different use in British English that a dictionary will list separately: a job, a scholarship, or a position is 'tenable' for a period of time or at a place — 'the fellowship is tenable for three years, tenable at any UK university.' That means it can be held for that long, or held there. You will meet this one in scholarship applications, so it is worth knowing even though it sounds odd the first time.

There is a second, quite different use in British English英式英文裡還有第二個、完全不同的用法 that a dictionary will list separately字典會另外列出來: a job, a scholarship, or a position一份工作、獎學金或職位 is 'tenable'可以'tenable' for a period of time or at a place一段時間或在某個地方——'the fellowship is tenable for three years, tenable at any UK university.''the fellowship is tenable for three years, tenable at any UK university.'（這個獎學金可以持有三年，在英國任何一所大學都可以持有。） That means這意思是 it can be held for that long它可以被持有那麼久, or held there或在那裡被持有. You will meet this one in scholarship applications你會在獎學金申請裡遇到這個用法, so it is worth knowing所以還是值得知道 even though it sounds odd the first time雖然第一次聽起來怪怪的.