MINI REVIEW article
Front. Educ.
Sec. Teacher Education
Volume 10 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1657529
This article is part of the Research TopicAdvancing Multilingual Education: Equity, Inclusion, and WellbeingView all 5 articles
Linguistics and Mathematics Meaning
Provisionally accepted
- 1Akrokerri College of Education, Obuasi, Ghana
- 2Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Kumasi, Ghana
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This study examines the increasing relationship between linguistics and mathematics education, highlighting how language influences the comprehension and communication of mathematical concepts. It explores how semantics, syntax, discourse, and metaphor influence comprehension, especially in multilingual classrooms where students face challenges due to language differences. Drawing on global research from 2017 to 2025, it emphasizes the role of classroom discourse, sociocultural theory, and cognitive linguistics, particularly metaphors like "number line" or "function machine", in supporting mathematical thinking. The paper advocates for linguistically responsive teaching, culturally inclusive pedagogy, and equitable assessment practices to enhance learning and promote inclusion. Ultimately, it argues that language is a fundamental tool, not a barrier, for mathematical understanding. While this study provides valuable insights into the intersection of linguistics and mathematics education, it is limited by its reliance on secondary sources and theoretical perspectives rather than empirical classroom-based data.
Keywords: Linguistics, Mathematics, Syntactic structure, Semantic structures, Multilingualism
Received: 10 Jul 2025; Accepted: 29 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Maanu and Asare. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Bright Asare, Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Kumasi, Ghana
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