Plural/singular, again, & other UK/US stuff

[Kimberly]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., tanwo at h... wrote:
> The one that always sticks out like a sore thumb to me is "math" (as 
> you say). We always say "maths". Given that the full word is 
> mathematics, why do you say math?
> 
> Wotan.

Honestly?
Because that was what was written over the classroom door.

Seriously, while I can't give you a good reason for why it started, I 
can tell you that probably the reason it continues is that children 
hear the word math long before they realize it's short for anything.

Kimberly
who also didn't know gymnasium when she learned gym, but who was not 
quite gullible enough to believe the Phys Ed teacher when he said they 
called it Phys Ed because of him, even if he was named Ed.