证据的界说——以字典释义为中心的历史语义学分析

通过把“证据”界定为一个语词，追溯“证据”一词在中西普通辞典中的释义历史，分析得出证据语词在中西语言中兼有动词与名词的双重属性，各以语族而非单一语词形式出现。中文强调了指称行为（证明活动），而西文更注重指称性质（明显性）。迄至当代，中西证据语词在指称外在可见的事物上基本达成一致。由之分析证据释义形式，可知因语词定义与真实定义的区别，证据的情境性、释义历史性等特点，证据只有在证据活动中才能被认识，从而证据定义问题在很大程度上被转化为一个证据（符号）如何使用（指称与表达）的问题，人对证据概念的认知程度将限定着证据概念的呈现程度。

Deifnition of evidence--a historical semantics analysis focused on deifnitions in dictionaries

Starting from a historical standpoint, we retrace changes in definition of ＂evidence＂ in the East and West and focus on the symbolic evidence in the form of language. As a word, evidence has different meanings in Chinese and Western languages. And in the process of historical changes, its form, meaning, and grammar have been undergoing subtle changes. There is no permanent fixed word of ＂evidence＂. But indeed in historical changes and in interpersonal communications, the evidence gradually tends to indicate such external visible things that could assist people to achieve an effective communication on the basis of external things. However, evidence in Chinese is said to emphasize its activity （to prove activity）, while in Western languages it emphasizes the nature of evidence （obviousness）. As to today＇s ＂evidence＂ in China, its meaning mainly focuses on visible things because of the influence of Western ideas, and then there is a basic agreement about evidence＇s definition about external visible things in Chinese and Western languages. Moreover, from the point of historical change, evidence has various forms of expression, and when it is used flexibly in different contexts, its meaning also has applicable differences. So context is one of its characteristics. As a result, what is evidence is a question on how the evidence （symbol） is being used （indication and expression）.