In Britain, Ernie is not only a man’s nickname. It is also the name of the machine that picks the winning numbers for Premium Bonds, a government savings scheme where you do not collect ordinary interest. Your bond is put into a prize draw instead.

In Britain在英國，ErnieErnie這個詞 is not only a man's nickname不只是男生的暱稱。It它 is also the name of the machine也是那台機器的名字，that picks the winning numbers用來抽出中獎號碼 for Premium Bonds為了Premium Bonds國民儲蓄獎券，a government savings scheme一種政府的儲蓄方案，where you do not collect ordinary interest在這個方案裡你不會拿到一般的利息。Your bond你的債券 is put into a prize draw instead則會被放進抽獎裡。

ERNIE stands for Electronic Random Number Indicating Equipment (the middle words have shifted a little over time). The letters were chosen on purpose so the machine would have a friendly human name, Ernie, the short form of Ernest.

ERNIE ERNIE stands for是「Electronic Random Number Indicating Equipment電子隨機號碼指示設備」的縮寫，(the middle words have shifted a little over time)（中間的字隨著時間有些微變化）。The letters這幾個字母 were chosen on purpose是刻意選來的，so the machine would have a friendly human name好讓這台機器有個親切的人名，Ernie就是Ernie，the short form of Ernest也就是Ernest的簡稱。

Though actually, people talk about it as if it were a person: “Ernie picked my number.” There have been several machines, but the nickname stuck. Outside the UK almost nobody needs this sense; inside it, older savers know Ernie the way other countries know a lottery machine.

Though actually不過實際上，people talk about it as if it were a person人們談起它就像在說一個人一樣："Ernie picked my number."「Ernie picked my numberErnie選中了我的號碼」。There have been several machines雖然機器已經換過好幾台，but the nickname stuck但這個暱稱一直沿用下來。Outside the UK在英國以外，almost nobody needs this sense幾乎沒人用得到這個意思；inside it但在英國國內，older savers年長的儲戶 know Ernie認識Ernie，the way other countries know a lottery machine就像其他國家認識一台樂透機器那樣。