this post was submitted on 19 May 2024
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Science Memes

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[–] slurpinderpin@lemmy.world 17 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Why do people in the UK and US say “maths” vs “math”?

[–] criticon@lemmy.ca 45 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] felbane@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago (2 children)

There should be a trail of Us that have fallen off the ship.

[–] snooggums@midwest.social 11 points 2 years ago

colour> color

spourts > sports

[–] Doubleohdonut@lemmy.ca 35 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Because it's the short form of "mathematics"

Although typically I've seen the UK call it maths and North Americans call it math.

[–] RandomWalker@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Is the ending s kept on abbreviations of other singular nouns ending in s? Or is that unique to maths?

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I would say we disagree with the premise of the question. Mathematics is not a singular noun. It's a plural. It's the field of all mathematics. Therefore you preserve the "s" because you abbreviate the singular and re-pluralise it.

So somebody in the UK might (not commonally) say "it's a math(matic) concept", but more likely to say "it's a concept from math(ematic)s" or "it's a mathematical concept".

[–] RandomWalker@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

That’s interesting. What about talking about it as a subject or a class? Would you say maths are my favorite subject(s?) in school? Maths are my favorite class?

[–] insaneinthemembrane@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Good one, no way say maths is... I guess it's the subject of mathematics is my favourite.

[–] Doubleohdonut@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 years ago

To the best of my understanding, mathematics isn't referencing a singular object but is used as an encompassing term to refer to content from multiple schools of mathematics e.g. geometry, statistics, calculus, algebra etc. Or in other words, all the subjects covered in math/maths class! 😊

[–] mranachi@aussie.zone 16 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] Tomato666@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Maphs could be used here too...

[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 11 points 2 years ago (4 children)

There's more than one type of math. Would you say physic?

[–] PrimeErective@startrek.website 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] then_three_more@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

C m8 they'res only 1 kinda reel sport nd thats footie.

[–] onion@feddit.de 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Germans and French do

[–] I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

Do you guys also say Geographies? Or Histories? Do you take Arts classes? You take Physics, do you also have Chemistries and Biologies?

[–] slurpinderpin@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Yeah I get it, but I’m more curious why it’s said differently?

[–] nyctre@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

There's usually a long explanation for these types of things which most of the time boils down to "because that's how people have been saying it and it's become the norm."

Many linguistical mistakes have been overused to the point of them changing their meaning. Take "decimation". It used to mean to kill 1 in every 10. Because it sounds cool and has been used in a lot of media, it now mainly means to kill or destroy a large part of something.

[–] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 2 points 2 years ago

The meaning of “siege” has gone from sitting outside a castle or town until everyone starves to just about any kind of military action involving a building. Probably partly because the Iran embassy Siege off the 80s was endlessly represented on TV by footage of the SAS breaking the siege by abseiling through the windows.

[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 2 points 2 years ago

You should be asking yourself that. ;)

[–] d00ery@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] JackFrostNCola@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Lego is the only correct version though, it is defined by the company that created it so its not 'open to interpretation' imo.

[–] d00ery@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

I agree with you. A sheep and some sheep are the same to me 😂