Job Discussion Forums

[senor boogie woogie]

I look at the International Job Vacancies and I see an ad for someone to teach "Maths". Maths is incorrect use of the word math.

Why? The plural of math is MATHMATICS. As in "I am qualified to teach two kinds of MATHMATICS, calculus and trigonometry.

The word math is an uncountable noun, so a 's' next to it to make it plural is not acceptable.

Senor

[johnslat]

Dear senor boogie woogie,
It's kind of funny how one thread here is discussing "Global English" while
the Senor comes up with an unglobal example. Before the Brits all rush in to savage you, Senor - from the Merrian-Webster on-line dictionary.

Main Entry: maths
Pronunciation: 'maths
Function: noun plural
chiefly British

Regards,
John

[Gordon]

Senor, I can't help snickering when I hear the word "maths". I know it is a British thing, but it still sounds funny to me.

[steampig]

Any particular reason why the abbreviated form of mathematics shouldn't be 'maths' as opposed to the curiously inadequate sounding 'math'? I mean a better one than the one we just received. The comment about plurality is so linguistically ignorant as to beggar belief and I for one won't bother to correct you on it. It seems to me to be another example of the worst trait in Americans, which is to attempt to belittle what is new to them without bothering to engage their brains by trying to understand why it is different from their own norms. A form of limited mindset that I have witnessed far too often over the years. It used to frustrate me, but these days it merely confirms my Commonwealth superiority complex over them. Empty vessels and all that...

[Gordon]

Well don't take it so seriously steampig. I'm not American and am a member of the Commonwealth. The difference is, I don't feel superior over anyone.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

To Mr steampig,
Well, harumph.
I no us Americans ain't as serfisticated as we should be sumtimes, guess its are inferreor edukatshun.
I'm gonna go back at laffing at these funny peeple and the stoopid things they do in this cuntry. Haha, they talk funnee.

[jpvanderwerf2001]

(Slappin' fourhed with palm.)
Oops, I's meant to say "kuntree". My uther entrey musta been prevokin'.
Godda get goin' an help theees pour peeple try n improov they're language skills.

[bud]

[donfan]

[donfan]

[sarina]

Surely, as has been pointed out ,you are aware of linguistic diversity... there are plenty of other examples e.g. the American usage of "Please write me", leaving out the preposition "to"; pants vs. trousers, sidewalk vs. pavement. One of a language teacher's jobs should be to make students aware of regional variation in English. At my school in Egypt, we follow the British system and are "officially" supposed to teach "British" spelling, but we are always mindful that other conventions exist and present these as acceptable options for the students (usage of s or z-organisation, organization etc). This is preparing students to be able to function in a variety of English speaking cultures and truly enhancing commucative competence in a "global" way.

[donfan]

[been_there]

I would like to say that, intellectually, the pluralization of "math" makes perfect sense to me.

In school, I failed algebra, but got an �A� in geometry. Calculus is different from non-elucidian trigonometry.

Therefore, there are many different kinds of math, not one uncountable mass.

[denise]

I am an American, and I fully acknowledge and accept the validity of "maths." Sure, it sounded odd the first time I heard it, but I certainly did not expect my British colleagues to adapt themselves to my way of speaking.

d

[Glenski]