WURK-stay-shuhnz
/ˈwɝkˌsteɪʃənz/
workstations is pronounced WURK-stay-shuhnz (/ˈwɝkˌsteɪʃənz/). Workstations refers to a collection of desks or work areas equipped with computing devices and tools for tasks, typically in offices or labs. It denotes a dedicated setup where an individual can perform computer-based work, often with ergonomic furniture and peripheral equipment. The term emphasizes the physical arrangement and number of configured stations rather than a single workstation.
Workstations refers to a collection of desks or work areas equipped with computing devices and tools for tasks, typically in offices or labs. It denotes a dedicated setup where an individual can perform computer-based work, often with ergonomic furniture and peripheral equipment. The term emphasizes the physical arrangement and number of configured stations rather than a single workstation.
"The IT department rolled out 40 new workstations across the office."
"He set up three workstations to run different simulations simultaneously."
"The coworking space offers high-performance workstations with dual monitors."
Pronounce it as /ˈwɜrkˌsteɪʃənz/ in US, /ˈwɜːkˌsteɪʃənz/ in UK, and /ˈwɜːkˌsteɪʃənz/ in Australian English. The primary stress is on WO R K (first syllable). Break it into three parts: WORK-STA-TIONS with the second syllable stressed lightly. Ensure the /ɜː/ or /ɜr/ vowel is rounded and central in unstressed positions, and the /eɪ/ in /steɪ/ is a long diphthong. Finish with /ənz/ for the plural ending, with a light schwa before n z.
Common errors include mispronouncing the second syllable as /steɪt/ or not fully articulating the /t/ in /steɪʃ/ leading to /ˈwɜrkˈsteɪʃənz/ or dropping the final /z/. Another frequent slip is weakening the first syllable to /wər/ or misplacing the primary stress to the second syllable. To correct: emphasize WORK (sound /ɜːr/ or /ɜː/), keep STEI as /steɪ/ with a clear /t/ and /ʃ/ for -tion, and voice the final /z/ distinctly.
In US English, /ˈwɜrkˌsteɪʃənz/ with rhotic /ɜːr/ and a clear /z/ ending. UK English often has /ˈwɜːkˌsteɪʃənz/ with non-rhoticity less prominent, but may still sound rhotic in connected speech; AU follows US-like rhotics and vowels, maintaining /ˈwɜːkˌsteɪʃənz/. Subtle differences include vowel length and the realization of /ɜː/ versus /ɜ/, and the speed of the /t/ in the middle may be more flapped in some US dialects.
The cluster /rks/ in WORK and the /steɪ/ diphthong in the middle are frequent sources of difficulty. English learners may substitute /r/ or mispronounce /ˈwɜrk/ as /ˈwɒrk/ or drop the /t/ sound, turning /steɪʃənz/ into /steɪənz/. The stress pattern—primary on WO R K and a secondary glide into STEI—requires precise timing, and the final -z must be voiced without devoicing. Practice the three components separately before blending.
A unique consideration is maintaining the lydic /ɜː/ or /ɜr/ vowel quality in WORK when followed by a stressed, long /eɪ/ in STEI. Small travel of the tongue from a mid-back position to a high front tongue for /eɪ/ must be smooth to avoid an epenthetic vowel. The sequence /ɜrkˌsteɪʃənz/ also requires careful assimilation at the juncture between /k/ and /st/; ensure the /t/ is released and the /s/ blends cleanly into /ənz/.
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The term workstation is a compound formed from work + station. Work, from Old English weorc (cognate with work, toil) traces to Germanic roots and Proto-Germanic *wurkiją, meaning labor or task. Station comes from Old French estation (modern French station) from Medieval Latin statio, from Latin stat- “to stand,” related to stāre “to stand.” The compound appeared in English by the 16th–17th centuries in contexts like military or railroad stations, but as a modern term it gained traction in the 20th century with the rise of office workstations and computer desks. The earliest 20th-century usage likely described physical desks or booths in workplaces tailored for specific tasks. With the computer revolution, “workstation” broadened to include computers and their peripheral setups, not just a chair and desk, leading to “workstations” as plural for multiple configured desks or computer suites. Today it often implies ergonomic, tech-enabled setups designed for productivity in professional environments, whether at an office, lab, or shared workspace.
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Words that rhyme with "workstations"
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