Mathematics Spelling: Singular or Plural?

  • Thread starter Redsummers
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In summary, there is some debate about the spelling and format of the word 'Mathematics'. It is generally agreed upon to be 'Mathematics', but there are questions about whether it is a singular or plural noun. Some languages have different forms for the word, such as 'Mathématiques' (plural) or 'Mathématique' (singular). The Bourbaki group prefers to use the singular form, but there is also a debate about whether it should be 'math' or 'maths' in informal settings. It is generally accepted that 'mathematics' can be both singular and plural, but not 'mathematic'. Overall, 'mathematics' is the preferred form and it is considered a singular noun.

Mathematics is a...

  • singular noun

    Votes: 12 85.7%

  • plural noun

    Votes: 2 14.3%
  • Total voters
    14
  • #1
Redsummers
163
0
Precisely, about the spelling of the word 'Mathematics'.

I guess that everybody here would agree to just call it 'Mathematics', but there are some doubts I have regarding its linguistic properties.

Would you say is it a singular or a plural noun? I have personally seen it as both...
Then, what's with the informal abbreviation of 'math' and 'maths'? Is it just American/British spelling differences?

I was also wondering if it could be called 'Mathematic'... In Romance Languages, as in French, we could say 'Mathématiques' (plural) or 'Mathématique' (singular); and same for catalan, spanish, italian etc.

In fact, the Bourbaki group always used the singular form since they preferred to think about 'mathematic(s)' as an individual structure. (Yeah, okay, there's way more philosophy behind their use of the 'singular form' but that's not the main discussion.)Anyway, thanks for posting!Edit: Now that I see my poll... I wrote 'Mathematics is a...' lol, should've been more like 'is/are'. But anyway, I see that is 'singular' is winning.
 
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  • #2
I think mathematics is both singular and plural...
 
  • #3
Yeah I see, so I guess one could say both 'mathematics are...' and 'mathematics is...'. But certainly not 'mathematic is...', right?
 
  • #4
well, I have heard that all sort of fields of study that ends with a suffix (ics) is considered as singular (mathematics, economics, politics, physics...). Don't trust me 100% cos english is not my first language!
 
  • #5
Maths vs Math debate
 
  • #6
Math wins every time.
 

Related to Mathematics Spelling: Singular or Plural?

1. Is "mathematics" a singular or plural noun?

The word "mathematics" is a singular noun. It refers to the field of study that deals with numbers, quantities, and shapes.

2. Why is "mathematics" considered singular when it ends in -s?

The -s at the end of "mathematics" does not indicate plurality in this case. It is simply part of the word's spelling and does not change its grammatical number.

3. Can "mathematics" be used in both singular and plural forms?

No, "mathematics" is always used as a singular noun. Even when discussing multiple mathematical concepts or theories, the word remains singular.

4. What is the plural form of "mathematics"?

The plural form of "mathematics" is "mathematical concepts" or "mathematical theories." Other nouns may also be used to refer to specific branches or fields of mathematics, such as geometry or algebra.

5. Are there any other words in the English language that follow the same rule as "mathematics"?

Yes, there are other nouns that end in -s but are considered singular, such as physics, economics, and politics. These words refer to fields of study or concepts and are always used in the singular form.

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