O/t mathematical help needed

[kempo]

I was reading in the Times on Sunday about how bad the UK was in teaching maths.

I was overjoyed to see the ST using the term maths as opposed to math.

I assume math has come from the USA but I don't understand how it has become the normal here.

I know John2 was discussing the same thing with his 'girlfriend' when he went for his walk down City Road on Saturday night but does anyone know the answer..how and why did maths become math.

Well done to the Times for staying with maths.

[Deepmidwinter]

Copied the following from "Grammarist"

Neither abbreviation is correct or incorrect. You may hear arguments for one being superior to the other, and there are logical cases for both sides. One could argue maths is better because mathematics ends in s, and one could argue math is better because mathematics is just a mass noun that happens to end in s. In any case, English usage is rarely guided by logic, and these usage idiosyncrasies are often arbitrary. If you were raised in a part of the world where people say maths, then maths is correct for you, and the same is of course true of math.

[kempo]

That's helpful deep but doesn't explain why we have changed.

In our part of the world we grew up with maths but media outlets except The Times use math.

[jolly_roger]

Because Americans are linguistically lazy.

For example color, humor, and favor

[Deepmidwinter]

Copied from Film Fun

In countries outside of the United States, Americanization or Americanisation is the influence American culture has on the culture of other countries, such as their popular culture, media, cuisine, technology, business practices, or political techniques.

[kempo]

Yes Mrs K said the same, there is no deep and academic reason, it's simply an Americanisation for no particular reason.

It's a shame..well done to The Times, a cracking paper although I'm not keen on the proprietor..

[tony260674]

Nothing to do with laziness. In the UK we call Physical Education P.E. In the US they call it Phys ED.

[Brin]

Because Americans are linguistically lazy.

For example color, humor, and favor

But they sometimes spell the word as it is pronounced.... take 'center' as an example ...
Spelt just how it sounds where as we use
'Centre' just like the French do..... Have we got that one wrong?

[Deepmidwinter]

Nothing to do with laziness. In the UK we call Physical Education P.E. In the US they call it Phys ED.

True. Also:

Lift - elevator
Boot- trunk
Tap - faucet
Torch - flashlight

[jolly_roger]

Because Americans are linguistically lazy.

For example color, humor, and favor

But they sometimes spell the word as it is pronounced.... take 'center' as an example ...
Spelt just how it sounds where as we use
'Centre' just like the French do..... Have we got that one wrong? [/quote]

Equally you could have a classic car or an old banger, you could knock down Buckingham Palace and build a block of flats. Some are functionally better but lack style. Modern English is an evolved language full of variation and charm unlike the modern American type language which lacks any real style apart from it's easier to teach to kids.

Mc Donalds is a flag bearer for this attitude to language, as demonstrated by Drive Thru.