Symbol as Metonymy and Metaphor: A Sociological Perspective on Mathematical Symbolism

Abstract

As a social practice, mathematics remains shrouded in mystery and seems inaccessible for outsiders. It comes across as a closed formal system that is largely considered independent of the people who practise it and hence totally impervious to sociological investigation. This article seeks to question these assumptions and is offered as a contribution to an emerging sociology of mathematics and abstraction. The argument unfolds on an ethnographic register and follows the reactions to a particular mathematical symbol in two different contexts. The first stretch of the description tracks the responses to this symbol on an online forum devoted to discussing mathematics and the other draws from a classroom context the author was part of as a participant observer. Thus focussing on just one aspect of mathematical practice, the way in which symbols are handled by practitioners, it attempts to underline the character of mathematics as a distinctive form of sociality. In the process it raises and seeks to address the following questions. What do controversies over and reactions to mathematical symbols tell us about mathematics as a practice? What roles do symbols play in the mathematical discourse? And, can a broader sociological perspective on mathematical symbolism be developed?

Rekognisi Dalam Merepresentasikan Simbol Turunan Parsial Sebagai Metonymy Dan Metaphor

“…Penandaan suatu informasi disajikan dalam suatu tanda khusus, dalam hal ini simbol, disebut dengan metonymy (Presmeg, 2013). Metonymy dan methapor terlibat dalam sistem penandaan/penyimbolan saat seseorang menemukan simbol baru dalam proses pembelajaran matematika (Malviya, 2019;Presmeg, 2013). Metonymy dan methapor bukan hal yang terpisah, melainkan saling terkait, terutama pada usaha seseorang dalam memahami simbol matematika yang sama dalam konteks yang berbeda (Malviya, 2019).…”

“…Penelitian tentang simbol sebagai metonymy dan metaphor telah dilakukan sebelumnya, yang dikaji dalam sudut pandang sosiologi. Penelitian tersebut membahas tentang keterlibatan metonymy dan metaphor dalam pemaknaan simbol matematis yang dilakukan siswa dalam pembelajaran secara online dan di kelas (Malviya, 2019). Penelitian lainnya terkait keterlibatan metonymy sebagai rantai penanda dan metaphor sebagai penurunan ke makna dalam proses penalaran oleh Presmeg (2013).…”

An Analysis of Errors on Mathematical Symbol as a Metaphor in Linear Programming

“…Further, the errors in representing the symbols were focused on numbers, operation counts, relational operators, and variables applied either in the mathematical models or in the procedures of solving linear programming problems. The causes of the errors were described based on the symbols that appeared as the metaphor, which was referred to interpreting the mathematical symbols (Malviya, 2019). At last, the results of the test and interview with the subjects were concluded on the basis of errors committed in interpreting the symbols centered to numbers, operation counts, relational operators, and variables.…”

“…Further, metaphor is defined as a means of making meanings over symbols (Veraksa, 2013). In other words, metaphor offers an ease to learn mathematics more broadly (Malviya, 2019). According to a previous research about symbols as a metaphor, it showed that students were unable to represent symbols as a metaphor (Zukhrufurrohmah & Putri, 2019).…”

Full Paper

“…Penelitian tentang simbol sebagai metonymy dan metaphor telah dilakukan sebelumnya, yang dikaji dalam sudut pandang sosiologi. Penelitian tersebut membahas tentang keterlibatan metonymy dan metaphor dalam pemaknaan simbol matematis yang dilakukan siswa dalam pembelajaran secara online dan di kelas (Malviya, 2019). Penelitian lainnya terkait keterlibatan metonymy sebagai rantai penanda dan metaphor sebagai penurunan ke makna dalam proses penalaran oleh Presmeg (2013) Mahasiswa salah menuliskan simbol turunan parsial ditandai dengan warna kuning.…”