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Subtleties of Meaning in Mathematical Versus Common Use of Language
Dr. Barbara A. Shipman, Mathematics
October 21, 2015

In communicating mathematical ideas, we often speak in words and grammar that have their own variety of meanings in everyday English. These meanings can collide in unexpected ways when speaker and listener hear the words differently. At the same time, intuitive nuances of language aid mathematicians in giving form to concepts such as infinity, bending of surfaces, behavior of functions, and the nature of numbers. This interplay between mathematical and common use of language leads to interesting and sometimes surprising realizations about the beauty and versatility of the language that we use every day.



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