Why do some people call math maths?

Math vs. Maths: Why That Little ‘S’ Causes Such a Fuss

Okay, let’s talk about something that might seem small, but actually sparks quite a bit of debate: math versus maths. Why do some folks tack an ‘s’ onto the end, while others leave it off? It’s not about right or wrong, really, but more about where you grew up and the linguistic quirks that come with it.

So, where did these terms even come from? Both “math” and “maths” are just shorter versions of “mathematics,” a word with some seriously old roots. We’re talking ancient Greek, with máthēma, meaning anything from “something you learn” to just plain “knowledge.” The Greeks even had a phrase, mathēmatikḗ tékhnē, which basically meant “mathematical science.” Pretty cool, huh? This eventually morphed its way through Latin and French before landing in English way back in the Middle Ages.

Now, that ‘s’ is interesting. It kinda hints back to the Latin word mathematica, which referred to “all things mathematical.” Think of it as mathematics covering a bunch of different areas, like algebra, geometry, calculus – the whole shebang.

But here’s where things get interesting: geography plays a HUGE role. If you’re in the United States or Canada, you’re almost certainly going to say “math.” But hop across the pond to the UK, Ireland, or head down to Australia, and “maths” is the way to go. It’s a regional thing, plain and simple.

Apparently, “math” started popping up in American English around 1890, while the British went for “maths” a bit later, around 1911. Though, I’ve seen some sources that suggest “math” was around even earlier. Go figure!

Grammatically, you could argue that “maths” makes sense because “mathematics” ends in an ‘s,’ suggesting it’s plural. But here’s the catch: “mathematics” is usually treated as a singular subject, like physics or economics. We say “Mathematics is fun!” (okay, maybe not for everyone), not “Mathematics are fun!”

Here’s a fun fact: it seems like the UK wasn’t always so keen on “maths.” Apparently, “math” was also used in British English until around the 1970s, when “maths” suddenly took over. It’s funny how these things change, isn’t it?

So, why the big split? Honestly, nobody knows for sure! It probably just boils down to different language communities doing their own thing and sticking with it. That’s how language works, after all. It’s constantly evolving, and sometimes those evolutions happen in different directions.

The bottom line? Both “math” and “maths” are perfectly fine ways to shorten “mathematics.” It really just depends on where you are and who you’re talking to. So, whether you’re crunching numbers in New York or solving equations in London, the math itself is what really matters – no matter what you call it!