industrious

[NIN]

Hi there:
If someone works all the time even on Sundays, may I say :He is industrious?
Also,I wonder if it's derogatory to native speakers if I use the term to describe a person.
Thanks for your reply!

[OddThomas]

Industrious is a splendid term.

[Bridget]

Hi there:
If someone works all the time even on Sundays, may I say :He is industrious?
Also,I wonder if it's derogatory to native speakers if I use the term to describe a person.
Thanks for your reply!

Imagine the ant or the beaver.

[NIN]

Thanks for your replies!
One more question, besides industrious ,I wonder what term native speakers would strike when they see someone works all the time even on Sundays.
Could you tell me?
Thanks a lot!

[Marius Hancu]

Slang words for hard worker:

plugger for hard worker.

drudge; hard worker

hard worker, a swot

"grafter" in Australia means a hard worker,

Hard worker, plodder

all resulting from this search:

"hard worker" slang

done at Google Books, which helps you catch MANY slang dictionary pages containing "hard worker", which you should do yourself next time:

350 on "hard worker" slang
http://books.google.com/books?q=%22hard+worker%22+slang&lr=&sa=N&start=50

[Pete]

It's interesting that the word "industrious" seems very positive, but words like "drudge" are definitely negative.

Most people would say that occasionally giving up a weekend for the good of one's company is a virtue, but doing it all the time shows misplaced priorities.

What comes quickest to my mind is the variety of old sayings that begin, "All work and no play make …" The original one seems to go,
- All work and no play make Jack a dull boy.
but others extend the idea:
- All work and no play make for a bad marriage.
- ... make for a sad family.

Of course, we also hear,
- All work and no play make jack. (where "jack" appears to have been a slang term for money.)

[Rusty]

Thanks for your replies!
One more question, besides industrious ,I wonder what term native speakers would strike when they see someone works all the time even on Sundays.
Could you tell me?
Thanks a lot!
If a person works compulsively, often to the detriment of his family life and other obligations, we call him a workaholic.

[NIN]

Thanks for all of you replies!