Date:  Wed, 29 Nov 1995 14:53:26 -0700

From:  Laurie M Bowman <bowman[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]U.ARIZONA.EDU>

Subject: Re: -head



A "gearhead" is someone who is a fanatic about working on

cars/motorcycles.



A good friend of mine uses "-head" ALL THE TIME (in a very informal

context). She has extended its

meaning from applying to people to applying to things, too. For example,

if I'd ask her what she was having for dinner, she might say

"Hamburgerheads." On the other hand, if her boyfriend ate too many

hamburgers at one sitting, she might call HIM a hamburgerhead!! I've

never heard anyone else apply "-head" to objects like she does. She is a

little weird, though. :)



As far as "normal" usage goes, there's always, of course, "airhead",

which I've heard since the early 80's.



On Wed, 29 Nov 1995, Winfield, Laurie wrote:



> I heard someone describe someone else as a gearhead, in 1980-81 in Chicago.

> No idea as to meaning.

> ----------

> From: American Dialect Society

> To: Multiple recipients of list ADS

> Subject: -head

> Date: Wednesday, November 29, 1995 2:46PM

>

> I'm interested in compiling a set of terms using -head as the second element

> of a compound, e.g dickhead, egghead, pothead, acidhead, and here in the

> upper midwest, cheesehead. I'm interested in both the terms and the

> earliest

> you've heard it used and where you've heard it.

> You can send them to the list, or to me at

> humpulliam[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]minna.acc.iit.edu

> Thanks in advance,

> Greg Pulliam

> Chicago

>