The word bondi is the Argentine adaptation of the term “Bus” (United States) or “Colectivo” (Latin America) to refer to the public or private transport service.
The term bondi is typical of the River Plate lunfardo. Its origin comes from Brazil, at the beginning of the 20th century, specifically spread from São Paulo . Based on a loan that Argentina made of the Brazilian term bonde, which in turn came from the English concept bond , referring to the ticket or ticket, the Argentine adaptation was to add an “i” to it.
There are urban myths, mainly in the towns of the provinces, which consider that the word bondi originated in allusion to the form of the collective in the early 1900s, which looked like a meatloaf, and from there the term was derived.
It did not always indicate transport itself, but until the 1960s the word bondi was used to refer to trams, which until those years were the most popular means of transport.
Bondi, geographic space
The term bondi can also refer to the bus stop or station. Many times it refers to a single corner, but in strategic places, the bus stop is accompanied by business stores. The best known places are the bus terminals.
During the 20th century, it was common to hear its use in the language of everyday life by people living in towns. Currently the word bondi is used more in large cities and urban centers.
The expression bondi is used mainly by young people between 18-30 years old , since the older ones use the most universal category, that is, collective.
The word bondi is also used by advertisements of the transport service to be able to adjust to new digital technologies.