Hearsay

来自Big Physics

wiktionary

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From Middle English hyere-zigginge (1340), here sey (ca. 1438), from the phrase heren seien(“to hear [people] say”). Compare equally old Middle High German hœrsagen (14th c.), whence modern Hörensagen.


etymonline

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hearsay (n.)

"information communicated by another, gossip," mid-15c., from phrase to hear say (Middle English heren seien, Old English herdon secgan). The notion is "hear (some people) say;" from hear (v.) + say (v.). As an adjective from 1570s. Hearsay evidence (1670s) is that which the witness gives not from his own perception but what was told to him. Compare similar formation in Dutch hooren zeggen, German hörensagen.