基于人类书写史之汉语“书记”词源及演化考

Research on the Etymology and Evolution of the Word"Secretary(Shuji)"in the History of Human Records

“书记”一词在中国起源久远,是人类早期历史记时、记言、记事之最重要语辞。无论“书记”之技能,还是“书记”之工具,皆属技术史范畴。其历史演化过程简要示意:上古制“者树枝”为工具,先“书”后“记”将时间、言行等箸录下来;秦汉,记录累积成为国家“档案”,“书记”为技艺、技能;魏晋,延伸出文学体裁之义;南北朝,渐成“公文”;唐以后,出现幕府职官名“掌书记”;现代,文化史、技术史范畴内的“书记”原词义已近消亡,缘由在于俄语CekpeTapb之政治学称谓借用中国古语“书记”进行翻译,并且这个新义成为主要词义,“书记”之古义逐渐成为历史词义,实则二者并非同源词。

Originated in china with a long his-tory,"shuji"is the most important word for record-ing time,words and events in the early history of mankind.Both the skills of"shuji"and the tools of"shuji"fall within the scope of the history of technology.The historical evolution is briefly illus-trated as follows:in the ancient times,the"mul-berry tree"was used as a tool,and the time,words and deeds,etc.were recorded first with"shu"and then"ji"—in the Qin and Han Dynasties,the records accumulated into the national"book archives"—in the Qin and Han Dynasties,it meant skills and techniques—in the Wei and Jin Dynasties,it developed into a literary genre—in the northern and Southern Dynasties,it gradually became an"official document"—after the Tang Dynasty,the official name"Zhangshuji"appeared.In modern times,"shuji"as an important symbol of the history of civilization and technology has died out.The reason is that the Russian word CekpeTapb which means the official title"secre-tary"was translated and introduced by Russia from"shuji",and that led to confusion with the an-cient Chinese"secretary(shuji)".In fact,the two are not cognate words.