Math vs. Maths

[Jimmie Higgins]

How did this lingustic absurdity happen? No one studies mathmatic.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

"Maths"is the British term used in the UK, Australia,NZ, I guess Canada, and other places."Math" is the US term. I don't know how the difference in terminology originated.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

How did this lingustic absurdity happen? No one studies mathmatic.

To be fair, nobody studies mathsmatics either.

As for math vs maths in Canada, the former is more common.

But, hey, while we're on it, what the fuck is with "beers"? It's like, do you go hunting "deers"?

[Quail]

I say maths, but I am British. It just sounds better.

[Bostana]

Why would you call it Maths? It's one subject therefore not plural and MATH.

Damn redcoats, ruining an American language

[PC LOAD LETTER]

Us murricans are all about efficiency and sliced off that extraneous letter

[Flying Purple People Eater]

Because people in America can't spell.


Not that there's anything wrong with that as written English makes absolutely no sense to begin with (The American use of 'z' over 's' in words like 'summarize/summarise' is more of an improvement really).


Why would you call it Maths? It's one subject therefore not plural and MATH.

It's a shortening of the plural 'mathematics', hence the '-s'. We don't study 'mathematic'.

[Lenina Rosenweg]

“Math” as a colloquial short form of “mathematics” first appeared in print quite a while ago, in 1847, although that “math” sported a period (“It rained so that we had a math. lesson indoors.”) and was thus clearly a simple informal abbreviation. “Math” unadorned appeared by the 1870s. “Maths” is a bit newer, first appearing in print in 1911.

http://www.word-detective.com/2011/05/math-vs-maths/

[Bostana]

Because people in America can't spell.
I disagree

Honestly though, the English language is idiotic and makes no sense

[Jimmie Higgins]

“Math” as a colloquial short form of “mathematics” first appeared in print quite a while ago, in 1847, although that “math” sported a period (“It rained so that we had a math. lesson indoors.”) and was thus clearly a simple informal abbreviation. “Math” unadorned appeared by the 1870s. “Maths” is a bit newer, first appearing in print in 1911.

http://www.word-detective.com/2011/05/math-vs-maths/

Holy crap, awesome -- I wasn't expecting the actual answer!:lol:

[Dennis the 'Bloody Peasant']

I say maths, but I am British. It just sounds better.

This

[Il Medico]

Oh you crazy Brits and your nonsensical pluralizing of abbreviations for singular collective nouns.

[Dennis the 'Bloody Peasant']

Oh you crazy Brits and your nonsensical pluralizing of abbreviations for singular collective nouns.

That's our name, don't wear it out.

EDIT:...or is that 'names'...ah, so confused :crying:

[Bostana]

“Math” as a colloquial short form of “mathematics” first appeared in print quite a while ago, in 1847, although that “math” sported a period (“It rained so that we had a math. lesson indoors.”) and was thus clearly a simple informal abbreviation. “Math” unadorned appeared by the 1870s. “Maths” is a bit newer, first appearing in print in 1911.

http://www.word-detective.com/2011/05/math-vs-maths/

This is simply awesome

[Il Medico]

That's our name, don't wear it out.

EDIT:...or is that 'names'...ah, so confused :crying:

The word 'Britons' isn't the same as 'mathematics'. While 'Britons' could be used to refer to a single national group, it is always treated as plural grammatical speaking because it a pluralization of the word 'Briton'. Mathematics isn't a pluralization of mathematic (which is an adj., not a singular noun). Thus, it can only be singular in that it refers only to a single thing (in this case a field of study).

Example:

"Britons are my favorite people."

"Mathematics is my favorite subject."

It also probably doesn't help that Brits and Americans treat collective nouns differently.



Adding to the complexity of this issue is that Americans and Britons handle it differently.

Americans tend to treat collective nouns as single units, so it’s more common to use the singular verb unless you’re definitely talking about individuals (3). So in America you would be more likely to hear “The faculty is meeting today” than “The faculty are meeting today.”

In British usage, however, it’s the opposite; it’s more common to use the plural verb (4). In fact, some sentences that are perfectly correct in Britain would be considered incorrect in America (3). Take “Cambridge are winning the boat race.” Although I spent my elementary-school years in London, I have been fully Americanized, so this sentence doesn’t sound right to me. As an American, I would say, “Cambridge is winning."

Source:
http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/collective-nouns?page=all

[Red_Banner]

English is a bad mash of Latin/French combined with German.

It doesn't go together well.