Math is the preferred term in the United States and Canada. Maths is the preferred term in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and other English -speaking places. It's because in American English, " mathematics " is abbreviated " math ", and in British English, " mathematics " is abbreviated " maths ". It's just one of those little quirks that distinguish the two dialects of the language. Since " mathematics " is plural, the British English " maths " is more strictly correct.
Both the words have logical arguments supporting them. The Oxford and the Merriam Webster dictionaries define Mathematics to be plural but also mention that it is used as a singular noun. It seems more likely, according to Rawson, that the taboo against the word arose secondarily, perhaps because of an association with menstruation.
The Oxford English Dictionary prefers the theory that it arose from aristocratic rowdies known as "bloods", hence " bloody drunk" means "drunk as a blood". In mathematics , the symbol represents the factorial operation. The expression n! For example, 4! Beginning in the 6th century BC with the Pythagoreans, the Ancient Greeks began a systematic study of mathematics as a subject in its own right with Greek mathematics.
Around BC, Euclid introduced the axiomatic method still used in mathematics today, consisting of definition, axiom, theorem, and proof. Dr Curt Nicol D. September 28, am. Adam October 7, pm. Rauf Tee October 27, am. He who knows that he knows not, is a sage. Tony Luxton October 27, am. Gerald Baton October 31, am. Erin December 19, pm. Joe April 29, am. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Semantic enigmas. The body beautiful. Red tape, white lies.
Speculative science. This sceptred isle. Root of all evil. Ethical conundrums. The word mathematic does not exist. Mathematics is a plural word but is also used for the singular.
The use of math in your example makes sense as an abbreviation of mathematics as a singular term. But this is how most North Americans do abbreviate the word. So as a rule, although the word mathematics is used as a singular, it is a plural word and except when able to in specific examples like this one, it is correct to keep the plural s in play. Yes, these are two viable scenarios. Language is a living thing; words are created, definitions reassigned, and words fade into disuse, and become archaic.
I personally delight in the differences. To suggest that one branch of modern English is superior to another completely misses the point of how wonderfully dynamic language is, and frankly makes one sound like a pompous ass who no one would care to speak with, on either side of the pond.
I had a look here because my dad insists that I am wrong. And I am from Singapore. Yes Patrick, I agree with you that English is a living language, that constantly changes, no other language does that.
That is why I love it so much. But in my opinion, American English is trying its best to put an end to that. By differentiating itself from the main branch of the English language, it tries to be something unique separate from the English spoken by so many people in the world. To me this goes against the true meaning of English. It splits the language into two languages, one that adapts as it always does, taking words from one group and integrating them into the common language, that is why we have French, Indian, Chinese, etc in the language.
The other isolates itself, accepting no new words from out of the US but forcing its words and spelling on all others. We lovers of English embrace new words for all places. The US has provided so many new words and they now form part of the main language as they so rightly should.
That should never happen. By referring to British English it makes it appear that it is just another of the group of English language variants whereas English English would suggest, accurately, that it had been the mother of them all albeit that it too has changed with time. There are no universally applicable rules for abbreviations. Any attempt to assign a logical rule to abbreviations is going to be incorrect, or riddled with hundreds of exceptions. As for American English being more prescriptive than other variants, there is no real basis for this belief.
Do the other global English speakers not have dictionaries? On the contrary, the American language is extremely heavily influenced by many generations of immigrants. This tradition is no different today than at any other time. The British variety is more globally distributed but I am hard put to think of any similar way that British English has been influenced to the degree that American English has been changed by years of newcomers to the US.
I think this is very obvious and straightforward. Math is American, maths must be British. So, again I must ask as I have with other supposedly vexing issues e. I would assume Brits are just as familiar with their own language. Am I wrong? Is it commonwealthers who have this trouble? Who would be confused by this? It grates on my nerves. I have carefully read through all the preceeding comments and all have their pros and cons.
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