This is the homepage of Dik Bakker, professionally linked to the Linguistics departments of the University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands) and the University of Lancaster (England)

I am married to Anna Siewierska (who has the same profession, but is obviously the more talented linguist of the two, apart from being the prettiest, as verifiable on the photo below).

My linguistic interest concerns languages rather than language. I rely on utterances stemming from speakers rather than on observations in grammars. The former type of data is crucial for my work on functional theories of grammar, and on language contact and language change. For my work in language typology, grammars are often the only source. Given the complexity of linguistic data, I think the use of the computer is indispensable, and so is interdisciplinary cooperation.

I am the proud father of Vanessa and Kirsten, and the even prouder grandfather of Mila and Miguel (see below under Dutch Transport Facilities).

When not at work I divide my spare time between collecting (and also listening to) chamber music, reading (mainly anglo-saxon and latin american authors; and there is the never ending backlist of Famous Authors from the Past), reading none too complex books on the cosmos and evolution, and bidding at stamp auctions. Whenever the english weather allows for it, I am training for some future Tour de France or some of the Classics (against all odds; but see under Pinarello below). In the winter, I prepare for the next Elfstedentocht on the Amsterdam Jaap Eden skating rink. Some of my friends have seagoing yachts, and fortunately need a crew on a regular basis. Anna and I like to travel, mainly to Spain and Latin America. The Mauritshuis in The Hague is my favourite museum. Every second saturday I will be sitting on the Eagle Stand to watch a Blackburn Rovers home match. And I am constantly reminded of the relativity of it all by a couple of small pieces of amber on the mantel piece containing 40.000.000 year old insects (see the Diptera couple).

The professional page gives an overview of my linguistic activities.

The unprofessional page gives an impression of some other activities.

40,000000 BP: Diptera Scatopsidae mating