Potentiality is a rather formal noun for an ability or quality that is there, but has not grown into something real yet.

Potentiality這個詞 is a rather formal noun算是個蠻正式的名詞 for an ability or quality指某種能力或特質 that is there已經存在 has not grown into something real yet但還沒變成真正的東西

Teachers and writers like it when they want to talk about what a person, a place, or an idea could become, not what it is today. You might hear that a child has great potentiality for music, or that a new medicine has several potentialities — meaning several ways it might help, still unproven.

Teachers and writers老師和作家 like it喜歡用這個詞 when they want to talk about想談論 what a person, a place, or an idea could become一個人、一個地方或一個想法可能會變成什麼 not what it is today而不是現在是什麼 You might hear你可能會聽到 that a child has great potentiality for music有人說小孩在音樂上很有天賦潛能 or that a new medicine has several potentialities或說新藥有好幾種可能性 meaning several ways it might help意思是它可能有幫助的好幾種方式 still unproven只是都還沒被證實

In everyday talk, most people just say potential, which is shorter and feels less stiff; potentiality turns up more in essays, reports, and careful discussion.

In everyday talk在日常對話裡 most people just say potential大部分人只會說potential which is shorter and feels less stiff比較短也比較不生硬 potentiality turns up more至於potentiality則比較常出現 in essays, reports, and careful discussion在文章報告和比較講究的討論裡

Though actually, in philosophy classes it has a sharper job: it names the “could-be” side of something, set against the “already-is” side.

Though actually不過其實 in philosophy classes在哲學課裡 it has a sharper job這個詞有更精確的用法 it names the could-be side of something指的是某樣東西可能會是的那一面 set against相對於 the already-is side已經是的那一面

The plural potentialities is common when someone lists different possible futures rather than one big gift.

The plural potentialities複數形的potentialities is common常常被用 when someone lists different possible futures當有人在列出好幾種不同的可能未來時 rather than one big gift而不是單一項很大的天賦