how (and why) to say “bicycle” in Hebrew

ByAmi Steinberger
 
This one’s for Maurice – thanks for the request!
 
I explained this to Caron’s Level 4 class last week, I believe, when I was substituting.
 
The Hebrew word for bicycle is אוֹפַנַּים (oh-fah-NAH-yeem). 
 
Why?
 
While Modern Hebrew (going on Medieval) renders a wheel a גַּלְגָּל (gahl-GAHL), the Biblical Hebrew word for wheel is אוֹפַן (oh-FAHN). The יִים- (AH-yeem) ending on a noun doubles the noun – so that אופן (a wheel) becomes אופניים (a double wheel… or two wheels)… like this one:
 
אופניים
 

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