Also, the spoken statements would be rendered in the speaker's native language, not a universal tongue. While it may be easy to read a simple addition statement aloud (e.g., 1 + 1 = 2), it's much harder to read other equations aloud (e.g., Maxwell's equations). Mathematics is a written form of communication. Some definitions of "language" describe it as a spoken form of communication. Not everyone agrees that mathematics is a language.
The way functions, integrals, and derivatives are phrased is uniform.Parentheses and brackets indicate the order in which the symbols interact.For example, λ is used to indicate wavelength and ρ means density. The Greek alphabet is used to represent specific concepts.Complex numbers are indicated by w and z. Real numbers are represented by a, b, c, α, β, γ. Integers are usually drawn from i, j, k, l, m, n. To some extent, the Greek alphabet is also used. The Latin alphabet is used for parameters and variables.No matter what country you're from or what language you speak, the structure of the mathematical language is the same. Mathematics grammar and syntax, like vocabulary, are international.
As in other languages, the role played by a symbol depends on its context. If you try to perform a sentence diagram on a mathematical sentence, you'll find infinitives, conjunctions, adjectives, etc. Actions such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division (+, -, x or *, ÷ or /).Diagrams or visual elements (circle, angle, triangle, tensor, matrix).For example:Ĭould be stated as "Three added to five equals eight."īreaking this down, nouns in math include: A mathematical equation may be stated in words to form a sentence that has a noun and a verb, just like a sentence in a spoken language. The vocabulary of math draws from many different alphabets and includes symbols unique to math. Mathematics describes itself (a field called meta-mathematics), real-world phenomena, and abstract concepts. Mathematicians, scientists, and others use math to communicate concepts. The symbols, their meanings, syntax, and grammar are the same throughout the world. Mathematics meets all of these requirements. There must be (or have been) a group of people who use and understand the symbols.A narrative or discourse consists of strings of syntactic propositions.A syntax organizes symbols into linear structures or propositions.A language employs grammar, which is a set of rules that outline how vocabulary is used.Meaning must be attached to the words or symbols.There must be a vocabulary of words or symbols.Whichever definition is used, a language contains the following components: Some linguists believe language should be able to represent events and abstract concepts. Linguist Noam Chomsky defined language as a set of sentences constructed using a finite set of elements. Language may refer to a system of communication using symbols or sounds. There are multiple definitions of " language." A language may be a system of words or codes used within a discipline.