Subject: Re: [HM] "maths" in lieu of "math"
From: Antreas P. Hatzipolakis (xpolakis@otenet.gr)
Date: Tue Mar 28 2000 - 10:19:34 EST
On Sun, 26 Mar 2000, R. E. Taylor wrote:
> I apologize for the trivial nature of this question, but my curiosity
> has gotten the better of me. I do not recall ever seeing the expression
> "maths" in lieu of "math." for "mathematics" in print nor seeing it at
> all until I started following the history of mathematics email lists.
> When did this expression originate?
And John McKay asks me for a relation of these abbreviations with the
original Greek word.
The abbreviations of the English words, which are of Greek origin,
[math(s) for mathematics; metro for metropolitan railroad; photo for
photograph; etc] do not appear in Greek.
However, we have anti-borrowed some of them from English [metro, for example]
As for the difference of the abbreviation between British (: maths)
and American English (: math):
Hmmm... It seems that George Bernard Shaw was quite right when remarked: :-)
<q>England and America are two countries separated by the same language.</q>
PS: The abbreviation "math", according to Webster Dictionary,
(available on-line at: http://www.m-w.com/netdict.htm ) dates back
to 19th century:
Main Entry: math - Pronunciation: math - Function: noun - Date: circa 1878
And for the term "new math": Date: 1964
Antreas
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