每日英语 · 2026-10-04

Programs must be written for people to read, and only incidentally for machines to execute.

Harold Abelson · Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (SICP) · 1985 · 前言

译文

程序首先是写给人读的，只是顺便让机器去执行。

主干是 Programs must be written，被动语态，结构是“情态动词 + be + 过去分词”。
for people to read 和 for machines to execute 都是“for + 名词 + to do”结构，意思是“让某人/某物去做某事”，people 和 machines 是不定式的逻辑主语，两者形成对比。
and only incidentally 把重心拨到“人”这边，后半句省略了 must be written，完整说法是 and (must be written) only incidentally for machines to execute，这种并列省略很常见。

incidentally /ˌɪnsɪˈdentəli/ adv.

附带地、顺便地；也常作“顺便说一句”

搭配：incidentally = by the way

I found the bug incidentally while cleaning up the logs.
execute /ˈeksɪkjuːt/ v.

执行（程序、命令），名词 execution

搭配：execute a program / a command

The MCU executes the interrupt handler first.
for sb. to do structure

让某人去做某事

We write comments for teammates to understand the logic.

写得让人一眼能懂，机器自然也能跑，写固件时值得时不时想想这句。