1033
Maths (mander.xyz)
all 47 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] d00ery@lemmy.world 98 points 5 months ago

As a fan of both authors I'd just like to point out the quote is from Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

I've never really thought about it and I don't have the vocabulary to describe it, but they have similar humour in the way they look at humans and social interaction.

[-] bolexforsoup 47 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

spoilersdfsaf

[-] wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com 44 points 5 months ago

Likewise in one of the later books they visit "God's last message to the universe" or something like that and if I recall correctly it's "Sorry for the inconvenience"

Great great author.

[-] CEbbinghaus@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

I was listening to the audiobook and had tu de cypher it by writing onto the paper. Almost shat myself laughing when I realize what it said. You will be missed Douglas.

[-] d00phy@lemmy.world 22 points 5 months ago

There’s a certain irony in using a Douglas Adams quote to support saying something is reminiscent of Terry Pratchett.

[-] Timecircleline@sh.itjust.works 21 points 5 months ago

British humour, both lean into the absurd. I love them both, and can admit there are similarities.

[-] watersnipje 8 points 5 months ago

I think that person just misremembered the author of the quote.

[-] lunarul@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

Those are two different people though. One thought or Terry Pratchett, the other of Douglas Adams.

[-] notabot@lemm.ee 3 points 5 months ago

Have you ever seen them both in the same room at the same time? I know I haven't. :)

[-] WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

One of them wears glasses and the other doesn't, so clearly they're separate people.

[-] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 8 points 5 months ago

It does actually attribute the quote to Douglas Adams at the bottom of the image.

[-] MuAraeOracle@real.lemmy.fan 50 points 5 months ago

Terry Pratchett the Douglas Adams of Fantasy.

Both are legends!

[-] zurohki@aussie.zone 33 points 5 months ago
[-] slurpinderpin@lemmy.world 18 points 5 months ago

Why do people in the UK and US say “maths” vs “math”?

[-] criticon@lemmy.ca 42 points 5 months ago
[-] felbane@lemmy.world 18 points 5 months ago

There should be a trail of Us that have fallen off the ship.

[-] snooggums@midwest.social 10 points 5 months ago

colour> color

spourts > sports

[-] Doubleohdonut@lemmy.ca 34 points 5 months ago

Because it's the short form of "mathematics"

Although typically I've seen the UK call it maths and North Americans call it math.

[-] RandomWalker@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Is the ending s kept on abbreviations of other singular nouns ending in s? Or is that unique to maths?

[-] wewbull@feddit.uk 6 points 5 months ago

I would say we disagree with the premise of the question. Mathematics is not a singular noun. It's a plural. It's the field of all mathematics. Therefore you preserve the "s" because you abbreviate the singular and re-pluralise it.

So somebody in the UK might (not commonally) say "it's a math(matic) concept", but more likely to say "it's a concept from math(ematic)s" or "it's a mathematical concept".

[-] RandomWalker@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

That’s interesting. What about talking about it as a subject or a class? Would you say maths are my favorite subject(s?) in school? Maths are my favorite class?

[-] insaneinthemembrane@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

Good one, no way say maths is... I guess it's the subject of mathematics is my favourite.

[-] Doubleohdonut@lemmy.ca 3 points 5 months ago

To the best of my understanding, mathematics isn't referencing a singular object but is used as an encompassing term to refer to content from multiple schools of mathematics e.g. geometry, statistics, calculus, algebra etc. Or in other words, all the subjects covered in math/maths class! 😊

[-] mranachi@aussie.zone 15 points 5 months ago
[-] Tomato666@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 5 months ago

Maphs could be used here too...

[-] fossilesque@mander.xyz 10 points 5 months ago

There's more than one type of math. Would you say physic?

[-] PrimeErective@startrek.website 6 points 5 months ago
[-] then_three_more@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

C m8 they'res only 1 kinda reel sport nd thats footie.

[-] onion@feddit.de 4 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Germans and French do

[-] slurpinderpin@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

Yeah I get it, but I’m more curious why it’s said differently?

[-] fossilesque@mander.xyz 2 points 5 months ago

You should be asking yourself that. ;)

[-] nyctre@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

There's usually a long explanation for these types of things which most of the time boils down to "because that's how people have been saying it and it's become the norm."

Many linguistical mistakes have been overused to the point of them changing their meaning. Take "decimation". It used to mean to kill 1 in every 10. Because it sounds cool and has been used in a lot of media, it now mainly means to kill or destroy a large part of something.

[-] NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone 1 points 5 months ago

The meaning of “siege” has gone from sitting outside a castle or town until everyone starves to just about any kind of military action involving a building. Probably partly because the Iran embassy Siege off the 80s was endlessly represented on TV by footage of the SAS breaking the siege by abseiling through the windows.

[-] I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world 1 points 5 months ago

Do you guys also say Geographies? Or Histories? Do you take Arts classes? You take Physics, do you also have Chemistries and Biologies?

[-] d00ery@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

Let me go count all my Lego.

[-] JackFrostNCola@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

Lego is the only correct version though, it is defined by the company that created it so its not 'open to interpretation' imo.

[-] d00ery@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

I agree with you. A sheep and some sheep are the same to me 😂

[-] halvar@lemm.ee 2 points 5 months ago

Douglas Adams <3

this post was submitted on 19 May 2024
1033 points (100.0% liked)

Science Memes

11004 readers
2469 users here now

Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!

A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.



Rules

  1. Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
  2. Keep it rooted (on topic).
  3. No spam.
  4. Infographics welcome, get schooled.

This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.



Research Committee

Other Mander Communities

Science and Research

Biology and Life Sciences

Physical Sciences

Humanities and Social Sciences

Practical and Applied Sciences

Memes

Miscellaneous

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS