bug在英国英语中是个粗俗小词,很不起眼但在美国俚语中迅速现代化,变得含义丰富,应用广泛,且为世人所接受,已不可等闲视之.

　　一、 bug在英国专指臭虫,等于美语的bed bug.在美语中,bug通常指小虫(small insect),尤指蟑螂(cockroach)等能咬会吸的害虫.另外还指秋蝉(harvest bug)、萤火虫(lighting bug)等.如There are bugs in the kitchen. (厨房里有小虫子.)

　　二、bug在美国口语中指病菌(germs)、病毒(virus)及其所引发的小病(minor disease).如The fly bug is going around, and almost everyone is sick. (流行性感冒病毒猖獗一时,男女老少几乎无一幸免.) He is suffering from the cold bug. (他正在感冒.)

　　三、bug在美国口语中指机器或电器的故障(breakdown)和缺陷(defect).如The test flight was to discover the bugs in the new plane. (试飞是为了发现新式飞机的缺陷.) My computer soft has a bug in it. (我的计算机软件出了故障.) Millenium bug (千年虫)在世纪末曾使全世界如临大敌,因为它让电脑无法辨认公元2000年后的年序.其实"千年虫"并非虫子,而是电脑设计上的隐患.还有bug派生的动词debug表示电脑程序的"除错"或"调试".《世界成语典故词典》称,计算机语言创使人霍普在1945年某一天排除计算机故障时从信号器中找出一条死虫.从此,一切计算机故障或缺陷都称为bug("虫子").但笔者认为,bug表示机器和电器故障,早在此传说前就已收入词典.

　　四、 bug在美国口语中指"疯狂着迷"(eager but foolish interest in sth.).如He has got the sports-car bug and goes to all the ralies. (他迷上赛车并参加每次比赛.) The long May-Day holiday arouses nation-wide travel bug. ("五一"长假引发了全国性旅游热.)

　　五、bug在美国口语中指"迷恋者"(enthusiast).如His expensive rig showed he was a hi-fi bug. (他的高档音响设备表明他是高保真音响迷.) net bug club (网虫俱乐部),"love bug" virus ("爱虫"病毒).注意后两例中的bug指"迷恋者",不能当"故障"讲。

　　六、bug在美国口语中当"窍听器"(secret listening device)讲.如The spy hid a bug in the lamp. (间谍在电灯里装了窍听器.)

　　七、bug指美国口语中的防盗报警器(hidden alarm against robbery).如The bank has been equipped with bugs. (银行装备了暗设的防盗报警器.)

　　八、bug指廉价的双座小型汽车.德国生产的大众牌汽车(Volkswagen)俗称Bug,习惯上译为"甲壳虫".

　　九、bug构成大量复合名词,表示各种含义:

　　1. big bug要人(贬义), 2. bug bag(野营用)睡袋, 3. bug bear令人烦心的事,4. bug boy赛马骑师的学徒, 5. bug check电器故障检测, 6. bug doctor精神病医生, 7. bug eaters内布拉斯州人, 8. bug-eyed瞪大眼的, 9. bug house疯人院;低级电影院, 10. bug hunting 昆虫采集, 11. bug juice劣质饮料, 12. bug light小闪光灯,13. bug rake梳子, 14. bug test智力测验, 15. bug trap故障探测器, 16. bug patch(电脑程序)错误补块

　　十、bug用作动词:

　　1. 使……恼怒(annoy).如Those tests really bugged me. (这些考试真让我厌烦.)

　　2. 电子窍听(eavesdrop with electronic devices).如They were accused of bugging private phone. (他们被指控窍听私人电话.)

　　3. bug off a.滚开(go away).如Bug off!(滚开!) b. 匆匆走开(leave quickly).如He bugged off before I had a chance to get a word. (我来不及跟他说一句话他就走掉了.)

　　4. bug out a.逃窜(run away).如When the police arrived, the thief bugged out. (警察一到,小偷就逃跑了.) b. 无奈告退(cannot but retreat).如When we saw them begin to argue, we bugged out. (见他们开始争辩,我们只好悻悻告退.)

　　5. bug up a.激动起来(become excited).如He bugged up when he saw his sworn enemy. (他看到死对头就激动起来.) b. 迷惑起来(become confused).如He bugged up when it came to politics. (一谈起政治,他就迷惑了.)

　　十一、构成成语:

　　put a bug in sb.'s ear私下叮咛(give sb. a hint).如I saw Mary at the jeweler's admiring the diamond pin; I'll put a bug in Henry's ear. (我看到玛丽在珠宝店对钻石别针赞不绝口,我得给亨利悄悄传个话.)

　　(文/毛础安　英语辅导报大学教师版04~05学年第1、2期;版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)