TED演讲:区块链对货币和商业的影响(3)

 So what if there were not only an internet of information, 如果我们有的不仅仅是信息的互联，

what if there were an internet of value -- 如果还有价值的互联：

some kind of vast, global, distributed ledger¹ running on millions of computers and available to everybody. 大量的，全球性的分散式的账本，可以在数千万台电脑上运转，每个人都有权访问。

And where every kind of asset, from money to music, 无论是什么样的资产，从金钱到音乐，

could be stored, moved, transacted³, exchanged and managed, all without powerful intermediaries? 都可以进行储存，移动，交易，交换和管理，全部不经过强大的中间商。

What if there were a native medium for value? 如果我们有价值的当地媒介？

Well, in 2008, the financial industry crashed and, perhaps propitiously⁴, 在2008年，金融业崩溃，也许幸运的是，

an anonymous⁵ person or persons named Satoshi Nakamoto 一位或几位名叫中本聪的匿名人士

created a paper where he developed a protocol⁶ for a digital cash that used an underlying⁷ cryptocurrency called Bitcoin. 创造了一个针对数字货币的协议，使用了一种加密货币，名为比特币。

And this cryptocurrency enabled people to establish trust and do transactions without a third party. 这一加密货币使得人们可以建立信任并进行交易，不需要第三方。

And this seemingly simple act set off a spark that ignited the world, 这看似寻常的动作擦出的火花点燃了整个世界，

that has everyone excited or terrified or otherwise interested in many places. 各地的人们或是激动，或是恐慌，或是好奇。

Now, don't be confused about Bitcoin -- Bitcoin is an asset; it goes up and down, 现在不必为比特币感到困惑。比特币是一种资产，它有涨有跌。

and that should be of interest to you if you're a speculator. 投机商应该对此颇有兴趣。

More broadly, it's a cryptocurrency. It's not a fiat⁸ currency controlled by a nation-state. 总的来说，它是一种加密货币。它不是由国家控制的法定货币。

And that's of greater interest. But the real pony⁹ here is the underlying technology. It's called blockchain. 这就很有趣了。不过其中最根本的要素是叫做区位链的技术。

So for the first time now in human history, people everywhere can trust each other and transact² peer to peer. 这是人类历史上首次各地的人们可以彼此信任，并进行点对点的交易。

1 ledger   

n.总帐，分类帐；帐簿

参考例句：

• The young man bowed his head and bent over his ledger again.那个年轻人点头应诺，然后又埋头写起分类帐。
• She is a real accountant who even keeps a detailed household ledger.她不愧是搞财务的，家庭分类账记得清楚详细。

2 transact   

v.处理；做交易；谈判

参考例句：

• I will transact my business by letter.我会写信去洽谈业务。
• I have been obliged to see him；there was business to transact.我不得不见他，有些事物要处理。

3 transacted   

v.办理（业务等）( transact的过去式和过去分词 )；交易，谈判

参考例句：

• We transacted business with the firm. 我们和这家公司交易。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Major Pendennis transacted his benevolence by deputy and by post. 潘登尼斯少校依靠代理人和邮局，实施着他的仁爱之心。 来自辞典例句

4 propitiously   

参考例句：

5 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

6 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

7 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。

8 fiat   

n.命令，法令，批准；vt.批准，颁布

参考例句：

• The opening of a market stall is governed by municipal fiat.开设市场摊位受市政法令管制。
• He has tried to impose solutions to the country's problems by fiat.他试图下令强行解决该国的问题。

9 pony   

adj.小型的；n.小马

参考例句：

• His father gave him a pony as a Christmas present.他父亲给了他一匹小马驹作为圣诞礼物。
• They made him pony up the money he owed.他们逼他还债。