An Analysis of Linguistic Features of the Multiplication Tables and the Language of Multiplication

Emily Sum; Oh Nam Kwon

doi:10.29333/ejmste/90760

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Emily Sum ¹ ^* , Oh Nam Kwon ¹

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¹ Seoul National University, Seoul, SOUTH KOREA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This study analyses the linguistic features of Korean language in learning multiplication. Ancient Korean multiplication tables, Gugudan, as well as mathematics textbooks and teacher’s guides from South Korea were examined for the instruction of multiplication in second grade. Our findings highlight the uniqueness of the grammatical features of numbers, the syntax of multiplication tables, the simplicity of language of multiplication in Korean language, and also the complexities and ambiguities in English language. We believe that, by examining the specific language of a topic, we will help to identify how language and culture tools shape the understanding of students’ mathematical development. Although this study is based on Korean context, the method and findings will shed light on other East Asian languages, and will add value to the research on international comparative studies.

Keywords

cultural artefacts
Korean language
linguistic features
multiplication tables

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2018, Volume 14, Issue 7, 2839-2856

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/90760

Publication date: 04 May 2018

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How to cite this article

APA

Sum, E., & Kwon, O. N. (2018). An Analysis of Linguistic Features of the Multiplication Tables and the Language of Multiplication. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(7), 2839-2856. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/90760

Vancouver

Sum E, Kwon ON. An Analysis of Linguistic Features of the Multiplication Tables and the Language of Multiplication. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(7):2839-56. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/90760

AMA

Sum E, Kwon ON. An Analysis of Linguistic Features of the Multiplication Tables and the Language of Multiplication. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(7), 2839-2856. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/90760

Chicago

Sum, Emily, and Oh Nam Kwon. "An Analysis of Linguistic Features of the Multiplication Tables and the Language of Multiplication". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2018 14 no. 7 (2018): 2839-2856. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/90760

Harvard

Sum, E., and Kwon, O. N. (2018). An Analysis of Linguistic Features of the Multiplication Tables and the Language of Multiplication. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(7), pp. 2839-2856. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/90760

MLA

Sum, Emily et al. "An Analysis of Linguistic Features of the Multiplication Tables and the Language of Multiplication". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 14, no. 7, 2018, pp. 2839-2856. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/90760