If you were asked to pick which month is most often associated with deep reflection, you’d probably choose January. Known for recaps and resolutions, the new year starts with retrospection (as we bemoan past regrets and celebrate successes), then moves forward with hopes for the year ahead!

　　如果让你选择一个记忆最为深刻的月份，我们往往都会说是一月，因为一月代表着回顾和立志。新的一年反而会以回忆作为开始，我们也许会感叹过往的遗憾，也会庆祝所获的成功，然后才能以新的姿态开始新的一年，带着希望向前迈进。

　　So, in January, we’re all a little bit like Janus, the Roman deity for whom the month is named. He is the god of doorways, beginnings, and the rising and setting of the sun. In fact, the Latin jānus means “doorway, archway, arcade.”

　　因此一月份的我们都有点像雅努斯(Janus)，他是罗马人的守门神，掌管每天的日升日落，代表开始。最初，拉丁语jānus的意思即是“门口，拱门，拱廊”。因此一月为这位神祇而命名。

　　There were many such gateways in Rome where ceremonial entrances and exits were made, especially for the departure of the army on an expedition. As the god of transitions, Janus is often depicted with two heads that face in opposite directions, looking to both the future and the past.

　　罗马有很多这样的门廊，构成很多仪式的入口和出口，特别是军队在离乡远征时，往往要通过这样的门廊。作为过渡之神，Janus在人们的描绘中长着两个朝向相反方向的头，同时展望未来和过去。

　　But, what does that have to do with the name January …

　　但是，这和一月有什么关系......

　　What does Janus-faced mean?

　　Janus-faced是什么意思?

　　First, we have to start with Janus-faced, weird we know.

　　首先，我们得从Janus-faced这个词开始说起，虽然这很奇怪。

　　This ancient deity has found his way into modern English in more ways than one. And as you might expect, his other lexical contributions are not entirely straightforward.

　　这个古老的神灵以多种方式进入现代英语。 正如我们所知，他对其他词汇的贡献并不是那么直截了当。

　　The versatile word Janus-faced can refer to someone or something’s capricious or seemingly contradictory nature, or it can be used with a more negative undertone to describe someone as deceitful and, well, two-faced.

　　Janus-faces可以用在多个地方，可以指某人或某物的反复无常或看似矛盾的性质，或者更偏贬义词一些，来形容爱欺骗别人的人，或者直接一点，就是两面派。

　　What’s a Janus word?

　　Janus word又是什么?

　　The two faces of Janus are also evident in the term Janus word, which refers to “a word that has opposite or nearly opposite meanings, such as cleave and dust.” To cleave something can mean to adhere closely to that thing, but it can also mean to split, divide, or cut off. As a verb, dust can refer to the removal of dust, or the addition of it. (Think “dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar.”)

　　有两张面孔的Janus在Janus word(双面词)这一词语中也有着举重若轻的作用，它指的是“一个具有相反或差不多相反的含义的词，例如‘附着/劈开(cleave)’和‘除尘/添加(dust)’”。附着某物，意思就是紧紧贴合，但它同时也可以是分开、切断的意思。 而dust作为动词，既可以指除尘，又可以指添加 。(比如“把糖粉撒在饼干上”。)

　　So you see, duality is embedded into all of Janus’s words, including the very language we use to talk about the beginning of the calendar year: January.

　　所以我们可以看到，所有关于Janus的单词都包含了二元性，包括我们讨论的一年开始的月份：一月。

　　If you’re feeling pulled in two different directions at this time of transition, take comfort in the fact that, at least from a linguistic perspective, it’s to be expected!

　　所以如果我们在一月这个过渡时期感觉被两个不同的方向拉扯，不要怀疑，不要担心，至少从语言学的角度来看，是说得通的!