Corner Time

Math is short for Mathematics. The different types of maths (algebra, geometry, trig, etc) that are gathered together in one set of lessons.

Goodgulf

Isn't "Math" the plural of "Math" while Mathematics is both singular and plural as well?

I remember seeing "maths" used when I lived in England but I never understood it. It was one of the few mysterious differences that never quite penetrated for me, I guess.

At a preschool/day care I attended when I was quite young, corner time was the primary punishment whereas spankings were extremely rare.

At home though, it was the reverse.

-LK

According to the 2 dictionaries I consulted "mathematics" is plural as are most words ending in "ics". "Math" is defined as U.S. informal and "maths" is defined as British informal.

Math/maths is/are definitely (a) fascinating subject(s), but I hope I may be excused for returning to the original topic. In the Scandinavian countries, corner time is a well known phenomenon and there is even a special word for it. In Norwegian skammekroken means literally shamecorner or corner of shame. The word is still in common use, and incompetent politicians are regularly sent to the corner of shame by the press.

The word is obviously old, and there is no doubt that corner time has traditional been a common form of punishment in Scandinavia. My guess is that it has been mainly used as a milder alternative to spanking. I don't know of any cases where the two have been used in combination (but then I don't know that many genuine spanking stories from Scandinavia), but I would guess that when both forms of punishment were in common practice, somebody would hit on the idea of combining them. The traditional Scandinavian spanking implement is the birch rod which is definitely best fresh from the woods, and it is quite natural to imagine that the culprit might have had to wait in the corner till the birch was ready. (Another frequent method in spanking stories is to make him/her pluck his/her own rod, but I don't know if this has any roots in reality).

Corner of Shame - I like that. A few years ago, Dr. Joyce Brothers had an article in Parade Magazine that questioned if we had lost our sense of shame. Reality shows would tend to demonstrate that we have lost the concept of at least some behaviors being shameful. We all probably have needed to spend some time in the corner of shame.

Well, "mathematics" is generally treated as singular (in spite of looking plural in its spelling) in the United States (which is also treated as singular here in the U.S.A.), isn't it? "Mathematics IS my area of expertise," for example. (Likewise "The United States IS my home country.")

Therefore, I'd venture that either abbreviated form ("math" or "maths") should be considered singular as well--assuming the full term is treated as such.

I also was aware of "standing in the corner" as an alternative--rather than an adjunct--to some other form of punishment during my childhood, although I don't recall experiencing it personally. IIRC it was employed occasionally by teachers in my elementary school; paddling (by the vice-principal) was also used but quite rarely and paddlings were carried out in the hallway.

However, the embarrassment of cornertime, especially with 'southern exposure' (before and/or after a chastisement), is such an ideal complement to being spanked on one's bare behind, notably in front of opposite-gender witnesses, that it's a basic staple of spanking-oriented literature.

As it well should be (IMHO)... --C.K.

I have always believed that corner time, before or after a spanking is important. Because 'cornertime', is meant to be humiliation. Yes, it is humiliation for a naughty female to have to stand in the corner, either with her dress raised, showing her bloomers, before a spanking is given to her. And after her bare bottom is warmed, by showing the glowing redness of that rear end spanking, when her bloomer, are down around her ankles. And these erring females that have to stand 'cornertime', can be teen-agers, mother's, grandmothers, or mother--in-laws.

I never heard of corner time until I started reading spanking stories. In school, if one of us annoyed the teacher to the point of punishment, he or she would tell us to GET OUT! This meant stand outside the classroom against the wall. We were always thrilled when that happened because the moment the teacher left, we simply walked out of the building and skipped school the rest of the day. By the time we were in middle school and a lot taller, teachers knew they couldn't slap or paddle us. If they did, we slapped back. Yes, I grew up in a rough neighborhood. Not all of us were losers; 80% of my high school class has 2 or more university degrees each.
~Sar~