Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login

What do you mean by "read mathematics at Edinburgh"?



It's standard (or slightly pretentious) British English; I guess the US equivalent would be "majored in math at Edinburgh" (which would be equally incomprehensible to a Brit)


It's not really pretentious – it kinda depends on what university you went to. I typically say 'studied', but my friends who went to other unis say 'read'. I would take 'read' as a pretentious term.


As a brit my experience is that "read" is used exclusively by oxbridgers and contestants on university challenge.


> It's not really pretentious

> I would take 'read' as a pretentious term.

I'm confused...


I think he meant "wouldn't". It's not pretentious per se, it just would be interpreted that way to an American because we wouldn't use that phrasing, therefore we can only imagine it being spoken in an upper-class English accent, pinky fully extended.


Quite so. Having been raised by the BBC World Service I actually do have a somewhat received pronunciation, albeit gently deflected by many years abroad.

The disposition of my pinky, however, shall remain a mystery.


If only it were tea time in Australia. Blast, foiled again.


I presume he means studying Mathematics at University of Edinburgh.

A quick googling sessions confirms this, inopinatus studied maths in Edinburgh according to his Linkedin.


Studied




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: