retrospective
/ˌret.rəˈspek.tɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌret.rəˈspek.tɪv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌre-trə-ˈspek-tiv/ (ame, mw) · /ˌretrəˈspektɪv/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌretrəˈspektɪv/ (ame, ipa)
retrospective — 名詞
- retrospectivesingular
- retrospectivesplural
1. A public exhibition that brings together works an artist created throughout thei
回顧展
藝術家生涯作品展覽
A public exhibition that brings together works an artist created throughout their working life, often covering several decades.
The Taipei Fine Arts Museum hosted a retrospective of Kofi's ceramic sculptures last spring.
台北市立美術館去年春天舉辦了 Kofi 陶藝雕塑的回顧展。
collocation: host a retrospective of [artist]
Padma visited the photographer's retrospective three times before the show finally closed.
Padma 在展覽結束前，去看了那位攝影師的回顧展三次。
collocation: visit a retrospective
Aylin's retrospective at the National Gallery drew huge crowds every single weekend.
Aylin 在國家美術館的回顧展，每個週末都吸引了爆滿的人潮。
The gallery catalogue for Lotte's retrospective sold out within the first week.
Lotte 回顧展的展覽圖錄，在開幕第一週就銷售一空。
- exhibition
a general showing of works; a retrospective specifically surveys an artist's entire body of work
- show
more informal, does not imply the comprehensive, career-spanning scope of a retrospective
文法句型
retrospective + of + [artist]
retrospective + at + [venue]
retrospective — 形容詞
- retrospectivepositive
- more retrospectivecomparative
- most retrospectivesuperlative
1. Thinking about or describing events, feelings, or situations from earlier times,
回顧的
回顧過去的
Thinking about or describing events, feelings, or situations from earlier times, often with the benefit of present-day knowledge or perspective.
Aylin wrote a retrospective essay about her years working as a reporter in Beirut.
Aylin 寫了一篇回顧性的文章，講述她在貝魯特當記者的那些年。
attributive use: retrospective + essay / report / analysis
The documentary took a retrospective look at the band's difficult ten-year journey.
那部紀錄片以回顧的視角，審視了該樂團艱辛的十年歷程。
collocation: a retrospective look at [something]
Kofi's retrospective report on the project pointed out both the successes and the failures.
Kofi 對該專案的回顧報告，指出了成功之處，也點出了失敗原因。
In a retrospective mood, the old friends shared stories from their school days over dinner.
幾位老友懷著回顧過往的心情，在晚餐時分享了學生時代的故事。
- backward-looking
often carries a negative tone suggesting unwillingness to change, while 'retrospective' is neutral
- nostalgic
emphasizes sentimental longing for the past rather than objective reflection
- reflective
focuses on quiet personal thought and learning, not necessarily about the distant past
- forward-looking
concerned with the future rather than reviewing the past
文法句型
retrospective + noun
be + retrospective
2. Describing a law, rule, payment, or decision that applies to a time before its e
追溯的
從過去某日起生效的
Describing a law, rule, payment, or decision that applies to a time before its enactment — starting from an earlier date rather than from today.
The new tax law was retrospective, applying to all income earned from January last year.
這項新稅法具有追溯效力，涵蓋去年一月以來的所有收入。
predicative use: law + be + retrospective (+ applying to)
Padma received a retrospective pay rise that covered the previous six months of work.
Padma 領到了一筆追溯調薪，涵蓋了之前六個月的薪資。
attributive use: retrospective + pay / payment / salary adjustment
The court ruled that imposing retrospective punishment on the company violated its rights.
法院判定，對該公司施加追溯性處罰侵犯了其權利。
Critics argue that retrospective legislation unfairly punishes actions that were legal when taken.
批評者認為，追溯性立法不公平地懲罰了行為當時並未違法的事。
- retroactive
more common in American English; identical in meaning for laws and payments
- prospective
applying from the present moment onward, not backward in time
文法句型
retrospective + law / legislation / payment / decision
be + retrospective
用法筆記
Common in legal and employment contexts. Often used interchangeably with 'retroactive', though 'retroactive' is more frequent in American English for this meaning.