4

I'm always having trouble talking about my mathematics in spoken German. For instance:

ℤ/nℤ ("the cyclic group "z over n z" or "z mod n z")

(ℤ/pℤ)× (the group non-zero elements of "z over p z")

And a more complex example related to field theory:

(ℤ/2ℤ)[T]/(T³+T+1) ("z mod two-z t – over t cubed plus t plus one", I guess..)

It would be even better if there was a glossary of some kind, telling me how to talk about these things. Still, my question: how do I talk about groups in spoken German?

Improve this question
  • 4
    @MartyGreen: Would be nice to explain a bit more clearly, if that's how you leave comment everywhere then you will have trouble being understood in any website! – user508 Nov 13 '11 at 9:59
  • 1
    Stefano, I didn't mean to criticize your English! I was answering you as though you were a native English speaker, and I was indeed criticizing the way you talked about mathematics. I am also a mathematician and it drives me crazy the way we use specialized jargon to talk about concepts that really should be spoken of in a more descriptive way. It's a problem I think we need to address in whatever language we are speaking. I'm sorry if I criticized you as an Italian who is doing a very good job of speaking English (much better than my Italian) because that was not myu intention. – Marty Green Nov 13 '11 at 13:52
  • 2
    @MartyGreen I don't think you should have expressed your critique in this unhelpful form. Someone with an Italian name is a student in Germany where he learns mathematical terms in a non-native language. It would have been very useful if you had proposed some concrete ways of expressing things differently instead of just complaining about it. I agree that people often mistakenly blame the language barrier for a basic communication problem, but if you think it needs to be addressed, please actually address it. Write an English answer about the underlying problem, someone can then translate. – Phira Nov 13 '11 at 17:05
  • 1
    @StefanoPalazzo You can learn much more by asking about whole sentences instead of isolated symbols. – Phira Nov 13 '11 at 17:07
  • 1
    @Gigili "As always" = as always in compilations of mathematical language. I am quite frustrated with this myself. It is not enough to know a single phrase for each object to teach or give a good talk in another language. Sorry for the possible negative interpretation. I meant it when I said that it is a good link. – Phira Nov 14 '11 at 6:43
5

I would say:

Z modulo n.

In most contexts it will be unnecessary to mention Z here.

Die multiplikative Gruppe modulo p.

Die Polynome (mit Koeffizienten) modulo 2 in der Variable T modulo (dem Polynom) T hoch 3 plus T plus 1.

Note that one never says "T drei" for "T hoch drei" in German, but one can also say "T zur dritten".

Now, if I would have to dictate this stuff, I would say something like

Z modulo n Z.

Z modulo p Z, das ganze in Klammern, hoch dem Kreuzchen für die multiplikative Gruppe.

Z modulo 2 Z in Klammern von in eckigen Klammern T modulo in runden Klammern T hoch 3 plus T plus 1.

While no one speaks like this in a talk or a lecture (well, or no one should), it is important to know because it can be used in case of misunderstandings to point out that someone overlooked a parenthesis.

Improve this answer
  • Excellent stuff, this is pretty much what I was looking for. – Stefano Palazzo Nov 13 '11 at 17:06
  • +1 for "T hoch drei". – user508 Nov 13 '11 at 19:43

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.