Comment on Maths

• RandomWalker@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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

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  • wewbull@feddit.uk ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

    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”.

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    • RandomWalker@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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

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      • insaneinthemembrane@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ ago

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

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  • Doubleohdonut@lemmy.ca ⁨1⁩ ⁨month⁩ 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! 😊

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