You do the math.
The only expression from the USA that causes me any problem
It's maths, you guys.
Anyone in the States have a problem with an English expression. We can agree to differ- I just wondered?
2006-07-24 13:25:14 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Maths is short for Mathematics - what is Math short for ? Surely it is a plural term so an S needs to be at the end.
2006-07-24 13:28:38 · answer #1 · answered by MindyMoo 2 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I agree with you!!!!!!
"Math" seems like a redundancy to me - just too lazy to say 'ths' - or maybe someone has a speech impediment...????!!!!
Mathematics = MATHS!!!
BTW, 'someone's' sister must be bit strange if she thought that a concert was the same as a 'show' ...!! Or do ALL Americans think that? The term 'show' would apply to a theatrical performance, or even a circus - but never a concert / gig!
Line means the same as queue though in those circumstances - I would guess that the people were all too drunk to respond normally, because even if 'show' isn't a logical word it was STILL obvious what she meant! (I apologise to your sister for the bad attitude and slow-wittedness of the drunken rabble in my home country!!!)
2006-07-24 15:35:19 · answer #2 · answered by _ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am guessing that you dont understand the phrase? If thats the case, I can explain that its a light form of sarcasm. Like simple math is 1+1=2 so sometime if we think a question that was asked has a really easy answer, we may say "you do the math" in otherwords, its easy, think about it.
2006-07-24 13:30:53 · answer #3 · answered by impossble_dream 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well math is often used by Americans to shorten Mathematics, whereas maths is mostly used by English people, to shorten the same thing.
Why that happens? I really don't know... I believe it's just like English say lift and Americans say elevator. In Spanish we have a lot of that thing, in Spain you say "coche" to name the car, but in Latin America is "carro" or "auto" people don't say "coche" as it means for Latin Americans, the old coach(Brit) or carriage(Ame).
2006-07-24 13:41:26 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can certainly agree to differ. Seems like a pretty minor thing. I think both words are merely contractions of Mathematics.
2006-07-24 13:31:42 · answer #5 · answered by Raffy_AdAstra 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it's funny how people in England and America speak the same language, yet sometimes they can't understand each other. For instance, my sister went to England to see a concert. When she asked the people who were standing outside "Is this the line for the show?" they all gave her blank expresssions. Finally someone told her "This is the queue for the _______." (insert English slang for concert here)
2006-07-24 13:35:52 · answer #6 · answered by someone,somewhere 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because we're only doing one math. Maybe you guys are doing multiple sorts of maths, but we're just not that mentally advanced here in the states. But we did save you from the Germans, so I guess we're even.
But, seriously, both are correct. You say tomahto, we say tomayto...
2006-07-24 13:39:37 · answer #7 · answered by monkey 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why should it be maths, that sounds so awkward. Why not worry more about the way ebonics flies freely in this country. Now that's a serious problem.
2006-07-24 13:30:58 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well math is the short for mathematics, and so we just chop the whole end off so it's math...but I've never heard the word in a singular form anyways so one doesn't even need to think...it'll always be plural.
2006-07-24 16:22:28 · answer #9 · answered by creative 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
haha yes i agree it is maths. English is better in every way. But, why is it maths? hmm, there must a good reason I'm sure.
2006-07-24 13:28:18 · answer #10 · answered by tom k 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋