Comments on: Crummy bugs http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/ bed bug news, information, activism, and support Sat, 05 Jul 2008 05:23:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Willow-the-wisp http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4843 Willow-the-wisp Mon, 30 Jul 2007 23:26:36 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4843 What's a putz? What’s a putz?

]]> By: hopelessnomo http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4829 hopelessnomo Sun, 29 Jul 2007 23:32:22 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4829 Thanks! Hymenoptera and Nobugs, I think words for lice and bedbugs were used interchangeably in some languages depending on the historical period, to judge by the references including oral histories and such. It makes looking for things all the more confusing and harder. Winston, I find the demon goblin precursor to our bed bug very satisfying, since I am indeed terribly afraid of bugges by night! I wonder when the substitution began and if the Bug Bible only slightly precedes it. Also, on matters biblical, check out <a href="http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/07/bedbugs_be_gone" rel="nofollow">this great bedbug story</a> uncovered by Seattle writer Charles Mudede in the extra-canonical Acts of John. 2nd century CE! Thanks!

Hymenoptera and Nobugs, I think words for lice and bedbugs were used interchangeably in some languages depending on the historical period, to judge by the references including oral histories and such. It makes looking for things all the more confusing and harder.

Winston, I find the demon goblin precursor to our bed bug very satisfying, since I am indeed terribly afraid of bugges by night! I wonder when the substitution began and if the Bug Bible only slightly precedes it.

Also, on matters biblical, check out this great bedbug story uncovered by Seattle writer Charles Mudede in the extra-canonical Acts of John. 2nd century CE!

]]> By: nobugsonme http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4808 nobugsonme Sun, 29 Jul 2007 03:12:36 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4808 Very interesting, Nomo! Thanks for your wonderful contributions this week! I think it's funny that the 19th C kids and the Yiddish speakers both used the same word for a louse and for a bed bug. Although bed bugs do indeed strike in darkness (usually), lice are visible. And of course, Bedbuggers would MUCH rather have lice, which are comparatively easy to get rid of. (Every time I say this someone tells me I am wrong, but I must hold my ground on this.) Very interesting, Nomo!
Thanks for your wonderful contributions this week!

I think it’s funny that the 19th C kids and the Yiddish speakers both used the same word for a louse and for a bed bug. Although bed bugs do indeed strike in darkness (usually), lice are visible.

And of course, Bedbuggers would MUCH rather have lice, which are comparatively easy to get rid of. (Every time I say this someone tells me I am wrong, but I must hold my ground on this.)

]]> By: Winston O. Buggy http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4802 Winston O. Buggy Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:34:27 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4802 In Tom Turpins book Flies in the Face of Fashion* he writes that the word bug derives from the Celtic word "bwg" which meant a ghost or spirit. The word "bwg" was probably first used to describe the bed bug. Since it hide during the day and emerged at night often unseen (lack of track lighting or LEDs) to attack sleeping humans its no wonder they felt victims of an unseen spirit. By the way "bwg" is pronounced BOOG like in boogeyman or more pc boogeyperson. * 2006 Purdue University Press In Tom Turpins book Flies in the Face of Fashion* he writes that the word bug
derives from the Celtic word “bwg” which meant a ghost or spirit. The word
“bwg” was probably first used to describe the bed bug. Since it hide during
the day and emerged at night often unseen (lack of track lighting or LEDs)
to attack sleeping humans its no wonder they felt victims of an unseen spirit.
By the way “bwg” is pronounced BOOG like in boogeyman or
more pc boogeyperson.
* 2006 Purdue University Press

]]> By: hymenoptera http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4801 hymenoptera Sat, 28 Jul 2007 16:17:47 +0000 http://bedbugger.com/2007/07/27/crummy-bugs/#comment-4801 The Yiddish word for bed bug is vantz which is also used on a human level in reference to " a nobody" or "punk". The term is used to refer to lice as well. And for you trivia folks there was a MASH episode in which it was the missing word in a crossword. The Yiddish word for bed bug is vantz which is also used
on a human level in reference to ” a nobody” or “punk”.
The term is used to refer to lice as well. And for
you trivia folks there was a MASH episode in which
it was the missing word in a crossword.

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