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19. Vocabulary of Mathematics

  • Theresa Kruse
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Abstract

This article provides an overview of research on mathematical terminology and its relationship to general language and to the didactics of mathematics. The article presents models which classify mathematical terminology depending on how the terminology is related to general language. Furthermore, the article shows how different parts of speech are used in mathematical language. The parts of speech presented are nouns, adjectives, verbs, pronouns, conjunctions, and number words. Most of the examples originate from Indo-European languages, but other language families are taken into consideration as well. Wherever possible, the discussion is enriched with corpus data. In addition to parts of speech, the article examines mathematical symbols and terminological differences between languages. The origins of mathematical terminology are described as well as its formalization in definitions. In addition, the article presents didactic perspectives on learning terminology, in particular how multilingual learners acquire mathematical terminology. Dictionary projects on mathematical terminology are also presented. In the end, the article indicates some current research gaps.

Abstract

This article provides an overview of research on mathematical terminology and its relationship to general language and to the didactics of mathematics. The article presents models which classify mathematical terminology depending on how the terminology is related to general language. Furthermore, the article shows how different parts of speech are used in mathematical language. The parts of speech presented are nouns, adjectives, verbs, pronouns, conjunctions, and number words. Most of the examples originate from Indo-European languages, but other language families are taken into consideration as well. Wherever possible, the discussion is enriched with corpus data. In addition to parts of speech, the article examines mathematical symbols and terminological differences between languages. The origins of mathematical terminology are described as well as its formalization in definitions. In addition, the article presents didactic perspectives on learning terminology, in particular how multilingual learners acquire mathematical terminology. Dictionary projects on mathematical terminology are also presented. In the end, the article indicates some current research gaps.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Inhalt V
  3. Einleitung 1
  4. I Rahmenbedingungen und Akteure
  5. 1. Mathematik und Sprache 9
  6. 2. Physikalische Erkenntnis, Denken und Sprache 55
  7. 3. Sprache und Technik 91
  8. II Wissenskonstitution in Mathematik, Naturwissenschaften und Technik
  9. 4. Die kognitive Metapher als Instrument der Erkenntnisgewinnung, -versprachlichung und -vermittlung 119
  10. 5. Zur Konstitution und Kommunikation naturwissenschaftlichen Wissens in und mit Bildern 139
  11. 6. Terminologiearbeit und Wissensmanagement 167
  12. 7. Technisches Schreiben: Spracharbeit an und mit Textdokumenten zur Techniknutzung 191
  13. 8. Die Fachübersetzung in Mathematik, Naturwissenschaften und Technik 221
  14. 9. Texts in Mathematics and Natural Sciences Phenomena and Processing Methods 241
  15. III Wissensvermittlung in Mathematik, Naturwissenschaften und Technik
  16. 10. Kommunikative Strategien der Wissenschaftspopularisierung 271
  17. 11. Sprache und Wissensvermittlung im naturwissenschaftlichen Museum 291
  18. 12. Die Rede über Technik in der wissenschaftlichen Politikberatung 315
  19. 13. Zur Auseinandersetzung mit Naturwissenschaften im Web 2.0 – das Beispiel Wikipedia 335
  20. 14. Nichtwissen und Unsicherheit in Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik 355
  21. IV Diskurs, Text, Sprache
  22. 15. Diskurs 381
  23. 16. Denkstil und Fachsprache 405
  24. 17. Textsorten des mathematischen und naturwissenschaftlichen Diskurses 423
  25. 18. Textsorten in technischen Diskursen 445
  26. 19. Vocabulary of Mathematics 469
  27. 20. Deutsch als Sprache von Mathematik, Naturwissenschaften und Technik 489
  28. 21. Sprache der Mathematik, Naturwissenschaften und Technik im Französischen 509
  29. 22. Sprache der Mathematik, Naturwissenschaften und Technik im Italienischen 527
  30. 23. The Russian Language of Exact, Natural and Engineering Sciences 551
  31. Autorenverzeichnis 579
  32. Sachregister 581
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