Language of mathematics

The language of mathematics is the system used

A range of meanings that can be communicated with
by mathematicians to communicate mathematical ideas
these symbols
among themselves. This language consists of a substrate
of some natural language (for example English) using Each of these components is also found in the language
technical terms and grammatical conventions that are pe- of mathematics.
culiar to mathematical discourse (see Mathematical jargon), supplemented by a highly specialized symbolic notation for mathematical formulas.
2 The vocabulary of mathematics
Like natural languages in general, discourse using the language of mathematics can employ a scala of registers. Mathematical notation has assimilated symbols from
Research articles in academic journals use a more formal many dierent alphabets and typefaces. It also includes
tone than oral exchanges over a scribbled-upon napkin in symbols that are specic to mathematics, such as
the university cafeteria.

What is a language?

Mathematical notation is central to the power of modern mathematics. Though the algebra of Al-Khwrizm
Here are some denitions of language:
did not use such symbols, it solved equations using many
more rules than are used today with symbolic notation,
a systematic means of communicating by the use of and had great diculty working with multiple variables
sounds or conventional symbols
(which using symbolic notation can simply be called
x, y, z , etc.). Sometimes formulas cannot be understood
a system of words used in a particular discipline
without a written or spoken explanation, but often they
a system of abstract codes which represent antecedent are sucient by themselves, and sometimes they are difcult to read aloud or information is lost in the translaevents and concepts [1]
tion to words, as when several parenthetical factors are
the code we all use to express ourselves and communi- involved or when a complex structure like a matrix is macate to others Speech & Language Therapy Glossary nipulated.
of Terms]
Like any other profession, mathematics also has its own
brand of technical terminology. In some cases, a word in
general usage has a dierent and specic meaning within
mathematicsexamples are group, ring, eld, category,
term, and factor. For more examples, see Category:
Mathematical terminology.

a set (nite or innite) of sentences, each nite in

length and constructed out of a nite set of elements
Noam Chomsky.

These denitions describe language in terms of the folIn other cases, specialist terms have been created which
lowing components:
do not exist outside of mathematicsexamples are
tensor, fractal, functor. Mathematical statements have
A vocabulary of symbols or words
their own moderately complex taxonomy, being di A grammar consisting of rules of how these symbols vided into axioms, conjectures, theorems, lemmas and
corollaries. And there are stock phrases in mathematmay be used
ics, used with specic meanings, such as "if and only if",
A 'syntax' or propositional structure, which places "necessary and sucient" and "without loss of generality".
the symbols in linear structures.
Such phrases are known as mathematical jargon.
A 'Discourse' or 'narrative,' consisting of strings of The vocabulary of mathematics also has visual elements.
Diagrams are used informally on blackboards, as well as
syntactic propositions [2]
more formally in published work. When used appropri A community of people who use and understand ately, diagrams display schematic information more easthese symbols
ily. Diagrams also help visually and aid intuitive calcu1

THE MEANINGS OF MATHEMATICS

lations. Sometimes, as in a visual proof, a diagram even 4 The language community of

serves as complete justication for a proposition. A sysmathematics
tem of diagram conventions may evolve into a mathematical notation for example, the Penrose graphical notaMathematics is used by mathematicians, who form a
tion for tensor products.
global community composed of speakers of many languages. It is also used by students of mathematics. As
mathematics is a part of primary education in almost
all countries, almost all educated people have some ex3 The grammar of mathematics
posure to pure mathematics. There are very few cultural dependencies or barriers in modern mathematics.
The grammar used for mathematical discourse is essenThere are international mathematics competitions, such
tially the grammar of the natural language used as subas the International Mathematical Olympiad, and internastrate, but with several mathematics-specic peculiaritional co-operation between professional mathematicians
ties.
is commonplace.
Most notably, the mathematical notation used for formulas has its own grammar, not dependent on a specic
natural language, but shared internationally by mathe- 5 The meanings of mathematics
maticians regardless of their mother tongues. This includes the conventions that the formulas are written preMathematics is used to communicate information about
dominantly left to right, also when the writing system
a wide range of dierent subjects. Here are three broad
of the substrate language is right-to-left, and that the
categories:
Latin alphabet is commonly used for simple variables and
parameters. A formula such as
Mathematics describes the real world: many areas of mathematics originated with attempts to describe and solve real world phenomena - from measuring farms (geometry) to falling apples (calculus)
sin x + a cos 2x 0
to gambling (probability). Mathematics is widely
used in modern physics and engineering, and has
is understood by Chinese and Syrian mathematicians
been hugely successful in helping us to understand
alike.
more about the universe around us from its largest
Such mathematical formulas can be a part of speech in
scales (physical cosmology) to its smallest (quantum
a natural-language phrase, or even assume the role of a
mechanics). Indeed, the very success of mathematfull-edged sentence. For example, the formula above,
ics in this respect has been a source of puzzlement
an equation, can be considered a sentence or sentential
for some philosophers (see The Unreasonable Efphrase in which the greater than or equal to symbol has
fectiveness of Mathematics in the Natural Sciences
the role of a verb. In careful speech, this can be made
by Eugene Wigner).
clear by pronouncing "" as is greater than or equal to,
but in an informal context mathematicians may shorten
Mathematics describes abstract structures: on
this to greater or equal and yet handle this grammatithe other hand, there are areas of pure mathematcally like a verb. A good example is the book title Why
ics which deal with abstract structures, which have
does E = mc2 ?;[3] here, the equals sign has the role of an
no known physical counterparts at all. However, it
innitive.
is dicult to give any categorical examples here, as
even the most abstract structures can be co-opted as
Mathematical formulas can be vocalized (spoken aloud).
models in some branch of physics (see Calabi-Yau
The vocalization system for formulas has to be learned,
spaces and string theory).
and is dependent on the underlying natural language. For
example, when using English, the expression " (x)" is
Mathematics describes mathematics: mathematconventionally pronounced e of eks, where the inics can be used reexively to describe itselfthis is
sertion of the preposition of is not suggested by the
dy
an area of mathematics called metamathematics.
notation per se. The expression " dx ", on the other
hand, is vocalized like dee-why-dee-eks, with complete
Mathematics can communicate a range of meanings that
omission of the fraction bar, in other contexts often prois as wide as (although dierent from) that of a natural
nounced over. The book title Why does E = mc2 ? is
language. As English mathematician R.L.E. Schwarzensaid aloud as Why does ee equal em see-squared?.
berger says:
Characteristic for mathematical discourse both formal
My own attitude, which I share with many of my
and informal is the use of the inclusive rst person plural
we to mean: the audience (or reader) together with the
colleagues, is simply that mathematics is a lanspeaker (or author)".
guage. Like English, or Latin, or Chinese, there

3
are certain concepts for which mathematics is
particularly well suited: it would be as foolish to
attempt to write a love poem in the language of
mathematics as to prove the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra using the English language.

Alternative views

Some denitions of language, such as early versions of

Charles Hockett's design features denition, emphasize
the spoken nature of language. Mathematics would not
qualify as a language under these denitions, as it is primarily a written form of communication (to see why, try
reading Maxwells equations out loud). However, these
denitions would also disqualify sign languages, which
are now recognized as languages in their own right, independent of spoken language.
Other linguists believe no valid comparison can be made
between mathematics and language, because they are
simply too dierent:
Mathematics would appear to be both more and
less than a language for while being limited in
its linguistic capabilities it also seems to involve a
form of thinking that has something in common
with art and music. - Ford & Peat (1988)

See also
Formulario mathematico
Linguistics
Philosophy of language

References

[1] Syntax: An Introduction, Volume 1 Talmy GivnJohn

Benjamins Publishing, 2001
[2] Syntax: An Introduction, Volume 1 Talmy Givn John
Benjamins Publishing, 2001
[3] Brian Cox; Je Forshaw (2010). Why does E = mc2 ? (and
why should we care?). Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-30681876-9.

Knight, Isabel F. (1968). The Geometric Spirit: The

Abbe de Condillac and the French Enlightenment.
New Haven: Yale University Press.
R. L. E. Schwarzenberger (2000), The Language of
Geometry, published in A Mathematical Spectrum
Miscellany, Applied Probability Trust.

Alan Ford & F. David Peat (1988), The Role of Language in Science, Foundations of Physics Vol 18.
Kay O'Halloran, Mathematical Discourse: Language, Symbolism and Visual Images, Continuum,
2004. ISBN 0826468578

9 External links
What is Language
Mathematics and the Language of Nature - essay by
F. David Peat.
Mathematical Words: Origins and Sources (John
Aldrich, University of Southampton)
Communicating in the Language of Mathematics by
Dr. David Moursund
Handbook of Mathematical Discourse by Charles
Wells.

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