Math for snakes
When did "maths" become "math"? I hear a lot of people say and write "math", (short for "mathematics", not as in the "Ramakrishna Math") these days (especially at IIT-B). Have school teachers started using this term too?Nothing really to get upset about, but still, it makes me uneasy. More subliminal American influence? I can see, since the cult film, how you started saying "may-trix" instead of "ma-trix" (as in good old Matric-pass). Perhaps you converted to "skedule" after watching "The Apprentice". But how did you drop the "-s" from the abbreviation? Pray tell.
10 comments:
I've somehow always said May-trix, right from my first introduction to linear algebra*. However, we used to pluralise it funnily (m'trai-ces), here the american way (may-tri-sees) seems more logical.
"Math" and "skedule" are, of course Abominations unto Nuggan (as is mm-dd-yy), and should only be resorted to when speaking to Americans who don't understand you otherwise.
(*This was, of course, after the Wachovski brothers released their opus, so I cannot vouch for its indigenous[ness|ity].
Good point. But adopting Amru terminology does not come close to being as annoying as adopting the faux American accent. It makes me want to puke. Better may-trix than that!
As if American movies and TV shows aren't bad enough, word processors that support US English (or American) by default are as bad. Note the change from colour to color (Even the comment editor marked colour wrong), and neighbour to neighbor. Of course, then there are those who commit blasphemy by referring to football as soccer.
My Linear Algebra teacher here(who became a friend of mine) got mad at me for saying 'Matrix' like 'Matric'. I finally went over to the enemy's side...
But you know, I have done it the otherway around...In Srinagar, we always said "Math" (most Kashmiris would) but when I came to Delhi people said "Maths" , so I shifted over to that...weird isnt it, full circle now!
I dont know about Maths..but perhaps it happens anyways. I have known people who have been here in Uk for all of 2 weeks and the accent changes..this is just one tiny letter..something that never ceases to amaze me..and then when I go home to India..people are surprised to hear me speak hindi..hmmm..mother tongue..kind of hard to forget..right?
Do not irk (pronounced aye-rrk?) Big Brother USA.
Re Word processor dictionaries, I have finally found me one that lets me set English (India) as my language of choice after I came to this heathen land. Much irony becomes.
And what about the poor 'u' ? Why is everyone so against it? It is always color, humor, behavior.
Kunal: I see you are living the 'Dream'.
H & S: may your tricks be limited to that.
Roh-Nog, Asterix: i wonder how it is when soumen says math - I don't remember if he further mangles it. You guys might know
Upasna: didn't know that!
Morpheus: It's an adaptable tongue, isn't it?
SK: Aye'll be careful.
Asterix: U and I are not allowed any humour, sadly, in that colour-less regime.
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