Bakfiets & Bakkersfiets: etymology
This morning, for the first time, I found a reference to the box of a Bakfiets Cargobike as the “bucket”. “Bak”, “box”, “bucket”… I’d just never thought of that connection before.
The usage of these Dutch words is a constant source of confusion for English speakers so here’s some clarification. I’m no etymologist, but I can at least explain some of the most obvious Dutch-English language connections surrounding our beloved bakfietsen…
Bak (pl: bakken)
Translation: Tray, pan
Related English words: Box, bucket
Bakken
Translation: To bake
Related English words: Baking
Bakker (pl: bakkers)
Translation: Baker
Related English words: Baker
Gebak
Translation: Pie, as in “baked in a pan”
Related English words: none
Gebakken
Translation: Baked, fried, sauteed (dutch is not a language of cuisine.)
Related English words: none
Fiets (pl: fietsen)
Translation: Bicycle
Related English words: none, roots disputed; questionable relation to “velocipede”
(note that “fiets” is singular thus “fiet” is not a word. Nor is there an “omafiet”, for that matter.)
Bakfiets (pl: bakfietsen)
Translation: tray bike, box bike; traditionally with 3 wheels, subset of “transportfiets“
Related English words: none
(again “bakfiets” is singular and “bakfiet” doesn’t exist)
Bakkersfiets (pl: bakkersfietsen)
Translation: Baker’s bike, subset of “transportfiets”
Related English words: none
(photo from transportfiets.net)
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Transportfiets (pl: transportfietsen)
Translation: Transport bicycle, carrier bicycle, freight bicycle
Related English words: none
Thus we see that the bakker (or the son of the bakker) rides a bakkersfiets, which could be but is not necessarily a bakfiets. Regardless it is definitely a transportfiets. There is certainly a bak on either a bakkersfiets or a bakfiets, and its quite likely that gebak will be transported in or on the bak of the bakker’s fiets. Clear?
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September 4th, 2007 at 18:26
So you call it a “box” rather than a “bucket” ? “Box” is probably a more attractive word, and makes more sense, since “buckets” are often round, but “boxes” are square.
September 4th, 2007 at 18:45
Actually we call it a “bak”, but I suppose “box” is the most common and direct translation.
September 5th, 2007 at 23:55
Very cool. So what does “en meer” mean?
jsn
September 6th, 2007 at 00:47
“en meer” just means “and more”, but its also a pun: “bakfiets” + “en” = “bakfietsen”, which is both the noun described above but also the verb for riding a bakfiets. Thus “bakfietsen meer” also means “more bakfiets riding”.
-Henry
December 7th, 2007 at 05:59
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August 18th, 2009 at 22:25
[...] In case you’re confused thinking that a bakfiets is a modern, two-wheeler that mom carries her kids in, you’re half correct. That’s a Bakfiets Cargobike, with Bakfiets being the very generic trade name for Maarten van Andel’s brilliant bike. But to Dutch folks “bakfiets” still generally means a giant, heavy duty three-wheeler with a wooden box on the front, a brake lever between your legs and a fixed gear to keep those legs busy. Just to be sure: “bakfiets” is singular and “bakfietsen” is plural. Please remember that as it’s quite painful to read “bakfiet”. Check here for a more detailed description of the etymology of bakfietsen, bakkersfietsen, bakkers, … [...]