The meaning of "workaholic"

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eric gg - 13 Jul 2005 00:12 GMT

What does workaholic mean? It seems to be the union of work +
alcoholic. I would be indebted to anyone who could tell me the meaning.
Thanks.
Eric gg

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Einde O'Callaghan - 13 Jul 2005 06:56 GMT

> What does workaholic mean? It seems to be the union of work +
> alcoholic. I would be indebted to anyone who could tell me the meaning.

Your interpretation of its origin is correct. I means somebody
"addicted" to work, i.e. somebody who puts rwork before all else, e.g.
family, relationships etc. However, it can be used with a positive
sense, i.e. sopmebody who works very hard to teh exclusion of everything
else to achieve some professional goal.

Regards, Einde O'Callaghan

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John Ramsay - 13 Jul 2005 08:36 GMT

> What does workaholic mean? It seems to be the union of work +
> alcoholic. I would be indebted to anyone who could tell me the meaning.
> Thanks.
> Eric gg

An alcoholic is addicted to alcohol.

A workaholic is addicted to work.

A shopaholic is addicted to shopping.

A sexaholic is addicted to sex.

etc., etc.

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Lion - 15 Jul 2005 00:03 GMT

"John Ramsay" <jramsay@mergetel.com> wrote ..

>> What does workaholic mean? It seems to be the union of work +
>> alcoholic. I would be indebted to anyone who could tell me the meaning.
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> etc., etc.

Curious why it is spelt workaholic, and not workoholic.

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John Ramsay - 15 Jul 2005 08:21 GMT

> "John Ramsay" <jramsay@mergetel.com> wrote ..
> >
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>
> Curious why it is spelt workaholic, and not workoholic.

Probably reflects the fact that 'alcoholic' in spoken language
seems to be often pronounced as 'alkaholic.' I guess the
initial 'a' affects the subsequent vowel.

Dictionaries tend to characterize the 1st 'o' as
schwa : 'alkuholic'.

Alcohol does tend to change clearcut vowels
into schwas -:)

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Lion - 16 Jul 2005 01:58 GMT

> Lion wrote:
>>
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> Alcohol does tend to change clearcut vowels
> into schwas -:)

I think you are right about 'alcoholic' being pronounced as 'alcaholic'.

But I wonder. Would 'workoholic' be pronounced as 'workaholic' ?

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John Ramsay - 16 Jul 2005 06:59 GMT

> > Lion wrote:
> >>
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
>
> But I wonder. Would 'workoholic' be pronounced as 'workaholic' ?

A web search shows workaholic is the official spelling
but frequent use of workoholic as well. So some people
may say it one way, others the other.

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Einde O'Callaghan - 17 Jul 2005 14:58 GMT

>>>>"John Ramsay" <jramsay@mergetel.com> wrote ..
>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
> but frequent use of workoholic as well. So some people
> may say it one way, others the other.

I suspect that the pronunciation is the same regardless of the spelling
- unempahsised "o" and unemphasised "a" are usually pronounced as a
schwa in English.

Regards, einde O'callaghan

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Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / July 2005

The meaning of "workaholic"