“检察”一词的前世今生:词源和历史的交融

中文"检察"和"监督"在语义上有着密切联系。从域外审视,英法两国作为近代检察制度的主要策源地,其语言中表述或指代"检察"的词语主要源于拉丁文prōcūrare和prōsequor。通过整体分析词语的形成和流变能够发现:一方面,二词在原初便同中文"检察"、"监督"之意没有亲缘,而同中文"代理"、"控诉"之意颇为相近;另一方面,在历史演变过程中,二词也始终保持了其本意并与"检察"、"监督"之意无任何勾连。此外,俄语中指代"检察制度"的相关词语也是直接根源于拉丁文prōcūrare。域外表述"检察"相关词语的词源、词义同其检察制度发展历史的相互交融,整体塑造了西方对"检察"的理解和认识。中西方对"检察"词语的理解差异,直接影响到有关检察权能属性、内容、检察制度等方面的理论认知和现实实践。

The Past and Present Meaning of the Word of "Procuracy" : A Blend of Etymology and History

In Chinese, the words ＂procuracy＂ and ＂supervision＂ have close sematic relations, which has profound influences on understanding of the attribute, content and system of procuratorial power and function for both academic studies and practitioners in China. In foreign countries, the procuracy system was initiated in Britain and France where the word ＇＂ procuracy＂ derived from the ancient Latin words ＂prficarare＂ and ＂ prosequor＂. Based on an integrated analysis of the formation and evolvement of the word, it is found that on the one hand, ＂ procurare＂ and ＂ prosequor＂ have no sematic relation with the word ＂ supervision＂ in Chi- nese, but are closely similar to the meaning of the words of ＂ agency＂ and ＂ prosecution＂ in Chinese; on the other hand, through history, ＂prficQrare＂ and ＂ prosequor＂ have maintained their original meanings and have no sematic relation with the word ＂ supervision＂ in Chinese. Furthermore, the pertinent word in Russian also derived from the ancient Latin word of ＂ procurare＂. Therefore, the etymology and conception of ＂procuracy＂ have integrated with the development history of procuracy system, which has formed the understanding and acknowledgement of ＂procuracy＂ in western countries. It is held that the differences between western countries and China with regard to the understanding of ＂ procuracy＂ will directly affect theoretical understanding and actual practice of the attribute, content and system of the procuratorial power and functions.