Re:Ask HN: What are software bugs called in other languages?
by muzani on Friday August 13, 2021 @08:20PM
(#28176502)
In Malay, it's officially called "pepijat". Debug is "nyahpepijat". It sounds jarring because it means "insect", and "reverse insect".
So most of the time we just use the word bug, and it's a third of the syllable count.
Interestingly the word clicks a lot better with the other English use of "bug", which is to sneak a microphone into a room.
From a poetic angle, "pijak" means step (on). I don't know if that's the etymology, but it evokes the idea that "pepijat" is something with a lot of little steps and something you want to step on.
With a computer bug, you can't really step on it, but with a microphone bug you can.
So most of the time we just use the word bug, and it's a third of the syllable count.
Interestingly the word clicks a lot better with the other English use of "bug", which is to sneak a microphone into a room.
From a poetic angle, "pijak" means step (on). I don't know if that's the etymology, but it evokes the idea that "pepijat" is something with a lot of little steps and something you want to step on.
With a computer bug, you can't really step on it, but with a microphone bug you can.