栗一向以為，理科生對 alpha、beta 這類符號，一向較文科生敏感。不是嗎？數理化三科一向是符號的天下，由 alpha 到 omega，少點能耐都會讓它們淹沒。
大家別以為栗歧視文科生，我可以有憑有據的。話說某天栗拿著一張 alpha 碟，給讀文科的暑期工做測試。暑期工聽見 alpha 一字，一臉惘然，要栗花了好一番唇舌，她才弄清楚是甚麼一回事。
另一例子當然是栗那位寶貝補習學生。記得之前學二元一次方程時，她將 alpha 的符號，寫成跟字母 a 一模一樣。栗不知花了多少心思，才將她的誤寫糾成過來。
雖說栗對符號比純文科生敏感，但也有栽筋斗的時候。有一次，栗的上司在文件上加了一個三角形符號，栗想來想去也不知道她這個符號代表甚麼，於是便跑去問同事。同事一臉不可置信的表情道：「這是 delta，即是要改的意思，理科生不可能不知道的耶。」
若然在數學書中看見，栗當然會知道。不過在校對稿件上，三角形符號代表不變呀~~~
讀理科應該 聰明啲, 嘻嘻. Recently I realize that when I talk to my engineer friends, we can talk in abstract and we can substitute in values like variable and without getting stuck with the detail. But with other people they cannot imagine what it would be like if an apple is replaced with an orange. With us engineer, we know the formula is the same so based on the change that was make we know what the answer would be. I think all that came from doing a lot of math in college.
回覆刪除[版主回覆07/16/2010 21:44:00]讀理科不一定聰明些，但肯定理性一點。
聽土星人說，這不關工程師的事呢，該是兩位朋友之間的默契吧？記得以前我最喜歡跟朋友玩唇語，不然就在打橋牌時打暗號。
delta只不過代表「改變」而已，不是「要改」，他擺明是懶。
回覆刪除[版主回覆07/16/2010 21:46:00]可能因為改變 = change，所以鬼婆便用上這個符號吧？
最麻人的反而是三角形在中文校對稿上代表「不變」，跟改變正好相反
我覺得不一定，就看那位文科生有沒有求知慾，當然，在香港這是很難的。
回覆刪除[版主回覆07/16/2010 21:49:00]純粹偏見。正如石像所言，有求知慾便不難理解。
我發覺現在的中學生，有很多都不求甚解，老師說甚麼便照單全收，就連老師說錯了也堅信不移，要命。
If that 寶貝補習學生 of yours were Greek, she would've been right....
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Anyway, alpha, beta, delta, theta, omega and epsilon are common enough letters that in non-science types should learn as part of day-to-day English. Delta is particularly tricky, because both the small letter and the capital letter are common.
[版主回覆07/16/2010 21:52:00]Yes, Teacher. Non-science types should learn the words, but not the symbols, right? The symbols are rare in our daily lives.
I don't understand your last sentence. What do you mean by the small letter and the capital letter of delta are common?
ooops, i meant "even", not 'in"
回覆刪除People may be born with some knowledge of sound and music. (The dancing birds are an good example. Scientists are discovering that some animals that could talk may also able to dance. Rhythm could be something that is common for animal.) But I think Mathematic is the most powerful language that human have developed. It is the word of the universe or the word of God. (My previous discovery came from talking to people without knowing they have an engineering background. We are not in the same engineering field but I am sure we all had to took a lot of math to became an engineer.)
回覆刪除The small delta is the little triangle. The capital delta is the IPA symbol for the voiced <th>. Let me see if I could copy it... δ
回覆刪除i take it back, it's the other way around...
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