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The quality of everything in a group being the same — same size, same shape, same colour, same way of doing things. It is the noun you use when itself is the topic.
The quality of everything in a group being the same一群東西全都一樣的這種特質 — same size, same shape, same colour, same way of doing things像大小一樣、形狀一樣、顏色一樣、做法一樣. It is the noun you use它是你會用的名詞 when sameness itself is the topic當「一樣」這件事本身就是話題的時候.
A factory wants uniformity in its products so every box holds the same thing. A school might want uniformity in how teachers grade, so no student is treated . Here uniformity is a good word: it means fair, reliable, predictable.
A factory一間工廠 wants uniformity in its products想讓自己的產品有uniformity(一致性) so every box holds the same thing這樣每一盒裡裝的東西才會一樣. A school一間學校 might want uniformity in how teachers grade可能希望老師打分數的方式有一致性, so no student is treated unfairly這樣才不會有學生被不公平對待. Here在這裡 uniformity is a good worduniformity是個正面的詞: it means fair, reliable, predictable意思是公平、可靠、可以預期.
But it has a second life, and this is where students get surprised. When you use it about people, or about art, buildings, or life, it usually turns negative. "The grey uniformity of the housing blocks" means they are boringly alike. "Uniformity of opinion" hints that nobody is allowed to think differently.
But it has a second life但這個詞還有第二面, and this is where students get surprised而這正是學生會意外的地方. When you use it about people, or about art, buildings, or life當你用它來形容人,或藝術、建築、生活的時候, it usually turns negative通常就會變成負面的意思. "The grey uniformity of the housing blocks"「the grey uniformity of the housing blocks」(那些灰撲撲、千篇一律的住宅樓群) means they are boringly alike意思是它們無趣地全都長得一樣. "Uniformity of opinion"「Uniformity of opinion」(意見的一致) hints that nobody is allowed to think differently暗示著沒有人被允許有不同的想法.
So the same word praises a factory and criticises a neighbourhood. The way to feel which one is happening: if is the goal (products, standards, measurements), it is positive; if has replaced variety in something that should be alive and different, it is a complaint.
So the same word所以同一個詞 praises a factory稱讚一間工廠 and criticises a neighbourhood卻批評一個社區. The way to feel which one is happening要感覺是哪一種的方法是: if sameness is the goal如果「一樣」本身就是目標 (products, standards, measurements像產品、標準、測量), it is positive那就是正面的; if sameness has replaced variety in something that should be alive and different如果「一樣」取代了原本該有活力、有差異的東西的多樣性, it is a complaint那就是在抱怨.
It is a fairly formal word — you meet it in writing, reports, and essays much more than in daily conversation.
It is a fairly formal word這是個相當正式的詞 — you meet it in writing, reports, and essays你在寫作、報告、論文裡遇到它的機會 much more than in daily conversation遠比在日常對話裡多得多.
原始詞典資料5 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
uniformitynoun/ˌjuːnɪˈfɔːmɪti/
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The quality or state of being uniform.
- The buildings are all of brick, of a goodly heigth, and an excellent vniformity in moſt of the ſtreets, the toppes riſing vvith battlements.
- It remaines, that I collect as vvell as I can, thoſe memorials vvhich I find of this expedition ſcattered in diuers places: a vvorke neceſſarie, for that the greatneſſe of this action vvas ſuch, as ought not to bee omitted in a generall Hiſtorie; yet not eaſie, the conſent of thoſe that haue vvritten thereof, being nothing neare to vniformitie.
- 2
The quality or state of being uniform.
- The uniformity of the decor
- Brown was the first livery selected for the company by Brunel nearly 108 years ago, and it continued until October, 1864, when the Directors decided that, to relieve the uniformity, carriages of all classes should be painted white from the waist upwards.
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The quality or state of being uniform.
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geographygeologynatural-sciencesThe quality or state of being uniform.
- It must be granted at once, to the advocates of this geological uniformity, that we are not arbitrarily to assume the existence of catastrophes. The degree of uniformity and continuity with which terromotive forces have acted, must be collected, not from any gratuitous hypothesis, but from the facts of the case.
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lifestylereligionThe quality or state of being uniform.
- Novv, vvhen the father of their Church, vvho gladly vvould heale the ſoare of the daugheer^([sic]) of his people ſoftly and ſleightly, and make the beſt of it, findeth ſo great fault vvith them for their oddes and iarring; vve hope the children haue no great cauſe to vaunt of their vniformitie.
- VVhither Mr. [William] Dell is arrived, let his Sermon againſt Reformation, and his Treatiſe againſt Uniformity vvitneſs.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。