英语词汇capital punishment的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

capital punishment. The word capital derives from the Latin caput, “head,” and capital crimes in English law were at first crimes for which the offender literally lost his head, had it chopped off on the block. (The first recorded use of the word capital shows this: “To have capytal sentence & be beheaded,” 1483). Capital punishment was used about a century later, by which time commoners sentenced to death were hanged and only nobles were allowed to have their heads chopped off. “Capital (or deadly) punishment is done sundry wayes,” ob- served the first writer employing the term. The death penalty, of course, goes back to prehistoric times. It was originally used only to appease an offended diety because of a grave religious offense, but also came to be imposed for murder and many oth- er crimes. Among the ancient Hebrews adultery, bestiality, blasphemy, cursing father or mother, idolatry, incest, rape, sabbath-breaking, unchastity, and witchcraft were all punisha- ble by death. The Romans punished by death crimes such as forgery by slaves, corruption, sodomy, and seduction, and in 18th-century England more than 200 crimes, most of them against property, called for capital punishment. Since the 19th century, crimes punished by death have been reduced greatly in number throughout the world and many countries have now abolished capital punishment.

词汇	capital punishment
词源	capital punishment. The word capital derives from the Latin caput, “head,” and capital crimes in English law were at first crimes for which the offender literally lost his head, had it chopped off on the block. (The first recorded use of the word capital shows this: “To have capytal sentence & be beheaded,” 1483). Capital punishment was used about a century later, by which time commoners sentenced to death were hanged and only nobles were allowed to have their heads chopped off. “Capital (or deadly) punishment is done sundry wayes,” ob- served the first writer employing the term. The death penalty, of course, goes back to prehistoric times. It was originally used only to appease an offended diety because of a grave religious offense, but also came to be imposed for murder and many oth- er crimes. Among the ancient Hebrews adultery, bestiality, blasphemy, cursing father or mother, idolatry, incest, rape, sabbath-breaking, unchastity, and witchcraft were all punisha- ble by death. The Romans punished by death crimes such as forgery by slaves, corruption, sodomy, and seduction, and in 18th-century England more than 200 crimes, most of them against property, called for capital punishment. Since the 19th century, crimes punished by death have been reduced greatly in number throughout the world and many countries have now abolished capital punishment.
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