Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日）
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang
Today, the @ symbol is best known for its role in email addresses. This use began in 1971, when engineer Ray Tomlinson was developing an electronic mail system that could send messages between computers on a network. To make the system viable, he needed a symbol to separate the username from the destination address. Tomlinson chose the @ symbol because it was seldom used in computing at the time, making it less likely to interfere with early computer programs or operating systems. The symbol was then placed between a username and a computer’s address, creating a format that remains in use today.
Photo: AdobeStock I 照片：AdobeStock
As email rapidly gained in popularity, the @ symbol became widely recognized on the internet. What had once appeared mainly in manuscripts and business records soon began to show up in messages sent around the world. Before long, different cultures developed their own imaginative nicknames for the symbol, many of which were inspired by its curly shape.
In Taiwan, many people call it a “little mouse.” Italians often associate its shape with a snail, while Armenians liken it to a puppy. In Dutch, it is referred to as a monkey’s tail. Elsewhere, Turks see a rose in the symbol, whereas Norwegians are reminded of a pig’s tail.
Over the centuries, the @ symbol has taken on many different meanings and served a variety of purposes. Today, it remains one of the most familiar symbols in digital communication, connecting people across emails, social media tags, and the modern web.
如今，@ 符號最廣為人知的角色就是出現在電子郵件地址中。這項用途始於 1971 年，當時的工程師雷．湯姆林森正在開發一套能透過網路在不同電腦之間傳送訊息的電子郵件系統。為了讓系統能夠運作，他需要一個符號來區分用戶名與目的地位址。湯姆林森選擇了 @ 符號，因為它在當時的電腦運算中很少被使用，因此較不容易干擾早期的電腦程式或作業系統。接著，這個符號被放置在用戶名與電腦位址之間，形成了一種沿用至今的格式。
隨著電子郵件迅速普及，@ 符號也逐漸成為網際網路上廣為人知的符號。這個原本主要出現在手稿與商業紀錄中的符號，很快便開始出現在傳送到世界各地的電子訊息之中。不久之後，不同的文化各自為該符號發展出了富有想像力的綽號，其中許多都是受其捲曲的形狀所啟發。
在臺灣，許多人稱它為「小老鼠」。義大利人常把它的外形與蝸牛聯想在一起，而亞美尼亞人則將它比作一隻小狗。在荷蘭語中，它被稱為猴子尾巴。在其他地方，土耳其人覺得這個符號像玫瑰，而挪威人則聯想到豬尾巴。
數個世紀以來，@ 符號具有許多不同的意義，也發揮了各式各樣的用途。如今，它仍是數位通訊中最廣為人知的符號之一，串聯著電子郵件、社群媒體標記以及現代網路中人們之間的聯繫。
What Did You Learn?
1. What advantage did the @ symbol offer Tomlinson when he was developing email?
(A) It separated information with little risk of technical issues.
(B) It was originally designed for electronic communication.
(C) It appeared frequently in existing computer systems.
(D) It was already familiar to most people at the time.
2. Suppose people in another country call the @ symbol a “curly fish.” What would this most likely suggest?
(A) The symbol was first invented in that country.
(B) People there think the symbol looks like a fish.
(C) Fish are considered lucky in that country’s culture.
(D) The name comes from a traditional story about fish.
參考答案 :
1. A 2. B
Words in Use
1. viable a. 可行的
The team is looking for a viable solution to the problem.
團隊正在尋找一個可行的解決方案。
2. destination n. 目的地
Kyoto is a popular destination for travelers from around the world.
京都是世界各地旅客喜愛的旅遊目的地。
3. interfere vi. 干擾，妨礙
interfere with. . . 干擾∕妨礙……
Loud noises can interfere with students’ concentration.
吵雜的聲音可能會干擾學生的專注力。
4. format n. 格式，形式
Please save the file in PDF format before sending it.
寄送前請將檔案儲存為 PDF 格式。
5. popularity n. 受歡迎；流行，普及
gain (in) popularity 大受歡迎
= grow / rise / increase in popularity
Electric vehicles have gained in popularity in recent years.
近年來，電動車愈來愈受歡迎。
Practical Phrases
1. separate A from B
將 A 與 B 分開，區分 A 與 B
The teacher asked students to separate recyclable waste from regular trash.
老師要求學生將可回收垃圾與一般垃圾分開。
2. associate A with B
將 A 與 B 聯想在一起，認為 A 與 B 有關
Many people associate autumn with cooler weather and colorful leaves.
許多人會將秋天與較涼爽的天氣及繽紛的樹葉聯想在一起。
3. liken A to B 把 A 比作∕比擬為 B
liken vt. 比作，比擬
The coach likened the team to a family that supports one another.
教練把這支隊伍比喻成彼此扶持的家庭。
4. refer to A as B 稱 A 為 B，把 A 稱作 B
refer vi. 提到
Many people refer to
New York City as “the Big Apple.”
許多人將紐約市稱為「大蘋果」。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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