Poll: Quick language question

[touch]

I'm good at mathing

 

[taz488]

Math's ? if your missing out letters stick a ' in there, i thought that was the jist of things, who knows

 

[Spyhop]

What's worse than things like this is faux rage people often show when talking about them.

"Narcissism of minor differences" I think it's called.

 

[Freefaller]

Except that the term is invariably "mathematical equation"

Good point, though the point still stands that there wouldn't be an "S" at the end, so it could still be mildly acceptable... no?

 

[Freefaller]

What's worse than things like this is faux rage people often show when talking about them.

"Narcissism of minor differences" I think it's called.

Do you really think people are genuinely wound up about it and this is not just internet/forum banter?

 

[Spyhop]

I don't mean this thread specifically, but I've seen rage on and offline about such things before!

 

[Skidder]

it is Math

technically it is math as it is short for mathematics.

but you can use maths cause no one speaks proper english anymore

you seem pretty certain for someone who is wrong

 

[SourChipmunk]

Being American, of course I say "math". However at least I understand why it should properly be "maths". It just sounds weird to say it over here.

It is similar to the regional thing in the US regarding pop, soda, seltzer, or even soda-pop. In my travels I found it much easier to just say "Coke".


Oh, and the poll choice that says "who can't speak proper English!" is off base. I can, I just don't.

 

[tres]

Can I close my own thread?

 

[Marky]

Maths obviously...

Can I close my own thread?

No.

 

[tres]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=math+-maths&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=
"Math"
85 million

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=maths&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=
"Maths"
16 million

I'm in the "maths" court. Just seems like a big difference!

 

[Marky]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=math+-maths&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=
"Math"
85 million

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=maths&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=
"Maths"
16 million

I'm in the "maths" court. Just seems like a big difference!

America is quite a lot bigger than the UK.

 

[Happy]

I have always said maths

 

[Freefaller]

Can I close my own thread?

No but I can if you want me to.

 

[semi-pro waster]

Math's ? if your missing out letters stick a ' in there, i thought that was the jist of things, who knows

You'd use an apostrophe for a foreshortening of a word to signify the missing letters if it wasn't a word by itself. Maths however is an accepted word by itself so there is no need for the apostrophe - I'd guess you could put it in and be technically not incorrect but it would look odd.

Can I close my own thread?

Only in the MM or if you are a Don/Commissario.

 

[Tobywon]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=math+-maths&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=
"Math"
85 million

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=maths&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=
"Maths"
16 million

I'm in the "maths" court. Just seems like a big difference!

America is quite a lot bigger than the UK.

Or it could be the "math" results also linked everything envolving mathematics which is a huge amount of stuff.

And im studying a Maths degree so i def think its Maths with an s.