Do you have a pet gripe part 2

[emmie]

I always thought the word was Mathematics, so why do Americans say
Math, as in, do the Math, I saw an advertising board in the station with that on it.
London underground, not my favourite place, dirty, crowded, but one mainline station always has part of the escalators down in the morning, so they block off the entire section to get down to the line, which means a very long walk to get to it, and took me 20 minutes, if you are elderly, infirm, or disabled, its a nightmare.
As to Bluto who i sat next to on the train, i had to find another seat, this was early by the way, munched on a big mac, fries, the works, the smell was appalling, then left all the rubbish on the seat, what an a*se.

any you care to share.

[meglet]

When you're at the till at the supermarket and buying lots of what is clearly the same item and they put each one through individually. I know it's only seconds in my day but it gets right on my wick.

[emmie]

Its not so much having a dig at Americans, but whenever i see a drama, comedy whatever, someone will come out with it, why, we don't say Math, do we??

[emmie]

I assume that you meant its always maths, but i haven't been in a classroom for a while. We do adopt many things from our cousins over the water..

[bluegrape]

You are correct in using 'mathematics'. In the UK we use the plural form because it represents the 3 primary branches, namely: algebra, geometry and arithmetic.

[joko]

when walking beside someone and you come to a corner and the person on the outer edge attempts to turn close as possible to it by basically cutting accross you, forcing you to have to stop suddenly and let them pass in front...

[douglas9401]

"the math" but "a scissors"! Go figure!! :)

[emmie]

wonder the Americans simply say Math.

[beso]

My pet gripe is people who get titchy about abbreviated spelling. I don't see a problem with "Math" though I would use "Maths" myself.

I assume you can't stand it when parents push their baby in a "pram" instead of a "perambulator" too.

Another is those who lower case "i" where it should be "I" in posts. ;)

[beso]

I don't like it when drivers block traffic while they wait for a park that isn't yet available. I have seen traffic backed up around a corner onto the main street of our town while someone waited over a minute for the other person to load their car and leave.

For me the park only becomes available when they have started the car. Otherwise you drive past.

[emmie]

the word is tetchy, and i wonder what is wrong with some people, who have to make a point, be rude, whilst i simply wondered why they leave off the s, when you hear it, it doesn't sound right, for heavens sake.

[beso]

Another thing I can't stand is oversensitive posters who take themselves excessively seriously.

[emmie]

oversensitive no, but never respond well to rudeness.

[heathfield]

I've no objection to getting weather forecasts from the Met Office.

[emmie]

even when they get it wrong.

[Quizmonster]

It always mystifies me that some people object to Americanisms. What's the point? There isn't just ONE English in the world any more, there are LOTS of Englishes...Indian English, Singaporean English, Carribean English, Australian English and so on. Each has its own vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, abbreviations etc and there is a constant flow from one to another.
I would never say or write 'math', but I have no objection whatsoever to anyone who does. If anything - being shorter - it is a more effective abbreviation than 'mathS'.

[Quizmonster]

Oh dear! Caribbean.