Work book instead of workbook?

[faryan]

Hi everyone!

I wonder if 'work book' could be used instead of 'workbook' with no special change in meaning. Can we consider the first noun describing the second noun and then conclude that both can mean the same?

Thanks in advance

 

[Skrej]

No.

'Workbook' is a compound noun, meaning a student's book containing practice exercises.

A 'work book' would be a book related to your job, as apposed to say a 'personal book', or 'library book'.

There is of course the computer terminology of a workbook, which is a collection of related worksheets.

 

[faryan]

can't be justified then in this way, eh? The book that is all about the students' job! Simply doing the activities related to the students' book?

 

[Skrej]

Simply doing the activities related to the students' book?

That would be a workbook.

 

[Tdol]

The book that is all about the students' job

Not exactly- it is a self-study book that covers the areas taught in their classes.

 

[faryan]

Can we consider work-book meaning the same as workbook?

 

[GoesStation]

Can we consider work-book to have the same meaning [STRIKE]the same[/STRIKE] as workbook?

Compound nouns typically first appear with a hyphen. As the noun is accepted into everyday use, the hyphen disappears. So work-book would have the same meaning; it just looks old-fashioned.

 

[emsr2d2]

The book that is all about the students' job!

Studying is not a student's job.

 

[faryan]

Studying is not a student's job.

Surely the "job" there means a task not an occupation!