[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Seeking Grammar Police Ruling - Math's

[Alex Hogan]

  Geoff Bannister <gbannister10 at tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
          --- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, Alex Hogan <predigirl1 at ...> wrote: Oh you're just mad because I got you! Just kidding!

> Geoff Bannister <gbannister10 at ...> wrote:
> --- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "P. Alexis Nguyen" 
<alexisnguyen@> 
> wrote:
> >
> > bboyminn:
> > > Oddly, once again, my American Heritage dictionary shows
> > >SNIP<
> > > but no 'maths'. Though I suspect if I had an Oxford Dictionary
> > > things would be different.
> 
> Ali: 
> > Merriam-Webster (online because I don't own English-English
> > dictionaries) shows maths, saying that it's (1) chiefly British and
> > (2) function is "noun plural," which is in keeping with standard [US]
> > English conventions.
> 
> Geoff:
> I do have A Concise Oxford Dictionary which begins its definition 
> as:
> mathematics n.pl. (usually treated as singular). abstract science of 
> space and number....
> 
> The Reader's Digest word Power Dictionary begins to define the 
> same as:
> mathematics > plural noun (usu. treated as sing.) the field of 
> knowledge concerned with number, quantity and space....
> 
> maths (N. Amer. math) > noun short for MATHEMATICS.
> 
> However, I challenge anyone to find a UK English speaker - or 
> even a US English speaker - who will say "Mathematics are..." And 
> can anyone put their finger on a singular use as "Mathematic"?

Alex:
> "What is the mathematic use of "X" in this word problem?"

Alex Hogan

Geoff:
(I've shifted your reply to its correct bottom-posted position.)

I don't think that is a valid reply to my question because the word 
"mathematic" is being used as an adjective and should therefore 
be "mathematical".



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