Sometime ago someone of the non-USn persuasion made some snide comment about the USn use of math as an abbreviation of mathematics as opposed to the "more logical" maths. In doing so this person wondered what maths were being left out. To me this would imply that maths would take a plural verb, but, in an item on the Nature Science Update page http://www.nature.com/nsu/020318/020318-9.html they use the construction "Maths shows that Greek poets had more rhythm than the Romans."

Any comments from the pro s forces?

And since the mathematicians were not in UK, they thought they were using math, poor things. Didn't know their maths from a hole in the ground.

Didn't know their maths from a hole in the ground.


...cute, wwh, cute!

DD

Faldage, if you would permit a comment from a con s force:

Makes sense to me that if mathematics takes a singular verb, then by extension (or compression, if you prefer) so would maths.
But maybe that's not what you were getting at?

not what you were getting at?

It's sort of what I'm getting at, but also the point about not liking math because of a sneaking suspicion that some of them are being left out. I just Searched for "maths" in the past year and do not see the post in question.

I noticed that there's also a difference with the US sports and the European sport. Somewhat the opposite of math/maths. Any explanation for this?

In both cases it's just usage. Where I come from you're just as like to hear "math" as "maths". You're just as likely to hear "sport" as "sports". And vice versa for both. Unless you are explicitly talking about a number of different sporting codes at once, both take the singular verb.

Like I said, it's just usage. It's not even a USn, non-USn thang!

Yes, but Maxie, you live near Hastings. I mean, you're right in the middle of a area where the locals can only count to 20 if they are wearing jandals. Where spelling bees are that much more literate than the natives and are really the main hive of industry.

You have led too sheltered a life. Get out more. Go visit a big city ... say, Napier, for example!

Still searching for the post you mean, Faldage. In the meantime, everybody please take a gander at this utterly typical and utterly great thread I found:
http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=7921

>I noticed that there's also a difference with the US sports and the European sport. Somewhat the opposite of math/maths. Any explanation for this?

I hadn't noticed that one. I think that we use both, depending on sense, or maybe not, I'll think about it:

"I went to the school sports day"
"She worked in a sports shop"
"He was always good at sport" / "He was always good at sports"
"He's a good sport"
"What is your favourite sport?"

Still not sure - do we say something different?

"Of all sports, I like tennis the best"

>snide comment

I've had a good look. I can't see any snide comments. Do we do those???

I brought an old thread up to the top. I'll post a link when I find it again. I'll call it "The one where AnnaS is taught how to say maths and where Jackie gets lost in her drawers"

http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=61932

All right, Jo, you just wait till you see what I resurrect! (FWIW, I still have no desire to peek inside someone's drawers...)

you just wait till you see what I resurrect!
Who or what is risen?

Random sleep-deprived thought....How bout we each pick a pleasant thread to resurect this Sunday?

...or an unpleasant (bitter) one to pass over sunset Wednesday?
just kidding... done for the pun.