Teaching maths In Britain

[August]

Originally Posted by XabbaRus

It's maths as in the short from of mathematics.

Mathematics is made of up different kinds of math, eg algebra, calculus etc. If each is taught singly as it is in the US 1 year for one area then indeed it is math class, but if however like the rest of the world that I know of all are taught together then it is mathematics or maths for short.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematics I know it is wikipedia but still

It must've changed since the cave man days when i was going to school.

[lesrae]

Nice one Kurtz :O)

It's always been maths to me too.

[DAB]

Originally Posted by danlisa

LMAO, says the man from Wales.

Seriously, in correct grammatical terms, it is MATH.

You take a math class.
I take a math class.
We take a math class.

There is no plural of math.

August is correct.
It's just another indication of correct grammar being forgotten due to incorrect repetition.

The English language is doomed. Hmm, a math based thread becoming an English lesson. That's irony.

:rotfl:

As a Cornish man, you are somewhat throwing rocks in a glasshouse there. Its Maths... and one of my favourate blogs (and just because its in my second langauge doesn't mean it can't be a favourate blog) explains why

http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.bl.../03/maths.html

[danlisa]

Originally Posted by DAB

:rotfl:

As a Cornish man, you are somewhat throwing rocks in a glasshouse there. Its Maths... and one of my favourate blogs (and just because its in my second langauge doesn't mean it can't be a favourate blog) explains why

http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.bl.../03/maths.html

LOL, was hoping you wouldn't notice that.

As for that Blog, yes I saw that yesterday when checking my grounds for discussion.

The blogger states:

The castigation usually goes: "Mathematics is plural, so maths needs its -s." It's a logic based on a false (AmE) premise/(BrE often) premiss. Just because there's an -s at the end of mathematics doesn't mean it's plural.

...and.....

Why is maths the exception here? It probably has something to do with the fact that it's a much more common word, especially since it refers to a school subject. Because it's more common, it's subject to more folk-reasoning about it and more spread of that folk-reasoning.

...and.....

Myself, I do tend to say maths in BrE company, but only because it's so painful not to.

So, in summation, basically the blogger starts off saying the word MATHS is wrong but then justifies it's use because, as I said, it has been repeated incorrectly for so long that it has now become the norm.

Repetition does not make something right, however it does seem that it forces the English Dictionary to adopt it as a correct word.

[DAB]

Oh I completely agree with you, that Math makes more sense in the pure linguistic sense. But Maths has become the accepted useage in British English.

[Letum]

1. £20
2. £20
3. Yes
4. 20
5. Mr. Red Clop has a new telescope
6. *Translates* Arabic governments demand what for journalists?!?

What do I win?

Seriously tho, the standard of mathmatics in English schools is far beyond and above the 1980s
norm, althow the focus has changed.

[XabbaRus]

And if you know anything about the development of languages that is how things come about. Mistakes are made somewhere in the time past which are carried forward until the point they are the accepted and correct form.

So as the blogger has pointed out in British English mathematics has become the defact spelling and is understood for what it is regardless of what grammatical arguments there are against it. In fact I don't think there is a grammatical rule that states why it is the way it is or shouldn't be.

[LtCmdrRat]

post#1

P.S.
I forgot the name of the state, but according the state law: 2x2=5

[Letum]

Originally Posted by LtCmdrRat

I forgot the name of the state, but according the state law: 2x2=5

Nah, I can't belive that.

One state did try to legaly define the number of pi to a fixed number of decimals tho.

It failed after many court battles.

[kurtz]

Originally Posted by Letum

Nah, I can't belive that.

One state did try to legaly define the number of pi to a fixed number of decimals tho.

It failed after many court battles.

I think one state made it 3 as that is what the bible has it as, something like a temple was 200 cubits wide and it's circumference was 600 cubits, forgot exactly what. I'm not going to check it out as I'm going to fly my kliene Me 109 about ot take the type VII for a pleasure cruise before war starts.

[LtCmdrRat]

Originally Posted by Letum

Nah, I can't belive that.

One state did try to legaly define the number of pi to a fixed number of decimals tho.

It failed after many court battles.

But its true. I just remember that it was XiX cenuury law around 1860-70.
may be they meant complex numbers,:hmm: ah?

[MothBalls]

Originally Posted by danlisa

LMAO, says the man from Wales.

Seriously, in correct grammatical terms, it is MATH.

You take a math class.
I take a math class.
We take a math class.

There is no plural of math.

August is correct.
It's just another indication of correct grammar being forgotten due to incorrect repetition.

The English language is doomed. Hmm, a math based thread becoming an English lesson. That's irony.

I guess in the UK the same teachers teach English and "math".

In this context, the correct term would be mathematics.

[StdDev]

Originally Posted by MothBalls

I guess in the UK the same teachers teach English and "math".

In this context, the correct term would be mathematics.

Maybe they teach "Englishes" !!!

[August]

Originally Posted by StdDev

Maybe they teach "Englishes" !!!

:rotfl:

[Stealth Hunter]

Originally Posted by LtCmdrRat

2x2=5