[Ads-l] dyscalculia

[Barretts Mail]

The OED defines dyscalculia as a calculation disturbance that results from a head injury, which is too narrow for today’s usage. The OED’s most recent citation is 1965.

Merriam-Webster (https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/dyscalculia <https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/dyscalculia>) says: impairment of mathematical ability due to an organic condition of the brain

I’m not sure what an organic condition is exactly (WM seems to refer to the definition (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organic <https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/organic>) “affecting the structure of the organism”), but Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyscalculia <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyscalculia>) says:

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is difficulty in learning or comprehending arithmetic, such as difficulty in understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers, performing mathematical calculations and learning facts in mathematics.
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Wikipedia also says that mathematical disabilities caused by brain injury are acalculia, which is a different condition.

Benjamin Barrett (he/his/him)
Formerly of Seattle, WA
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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org