核心畫面

One way to hold this word: an account that never gets given. Somebody should be able to stand up and say why — and nobody does. Whether that is because no reason can be found, or because nobody is required to give one, is exactly what splits the word into its two uses.

可以想成:一份始終沒有交出來的說明。照理說應該有人站出來講清楚為什麼,結果沒有。這個字的兩個用法,差別就在「為什麼沒更多收起可以想成:一份始終沒有交出來的說明。照理說應該有人站出來講清楚為什麼,結果沒有。這個字的兩個用法,差別就在「為什麼沒交」。一種是找不到原因,誰也說不出來,於是變成「莫名其妙」。另一種是根本不必交,因為上面沒有人管得到,於是變成「不用負責」。英文 account 本來就同時有「說明」和「帳」的意思,這兩條路都從那裡分出去。看介系詞最快:接 to 或 for 的,多半是責任那一支。

From the word’s history

The supplied etymology is simply un- + accountable, and accountable rests on account — to give the reason or the reckoning for something.

供應的字源就是 un- 加 accountable,而 accountable 又建在 account(交代、說明、算帳)上。所以這個字的字面意思是「交代不出來」。至於交代不出來的是原因還是責任,就由句子決定。

Wiktionary entry for unaccountable (adj), source_ref kaikki:3f6f69a190036ae4:866254339

Two branches

原因交代不出來

說明交不出來,是因為根本沒人找得到理由。

adjective · C1

Very surprising, and impossible to explain — you can see that something happened or that you feel a certain way, but no reason for it can be found.

無法解釋的、莫名其妙的

責任不必交代

說明交不出來,是因為制度上沒有人有義務交——這一支講的是權力安排,不是謎。

adjective · C1

If a person, official or organisation is unaccountable, they do not have to explain or defend their decisions to anyone, so no one can make them answer for what they do. Often followed by 'to'.

不必向任何人交代的