In that case, we understand it as a sequence of cross-sections rather than something that somehow organically changes through time.

这样，我们就是在学习一个个语言的横截面,而不是语言自然的变化过程。

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It's a more powerful method than something called a cross-sectional study, and I'll come back in a later lecture and talk about these in more detail, but a cross-sectional study means you're taking a snapshot of a population of people at one time.

这种方法比所谓的横断面研究更加有效,我将在以后的课中,再仔细讨论这个问题,但横断面研究是指,你一次记录下一群人的状况

耶鲁公开课 - 关于食物的心理学、生物学和政治学课程节选