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Is this question acceptable?: Why is a ring called a "ring"?

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    Question 117292 has just been closed. I don't think this closure is entirely inappropriate but it clearly needs to be discussed.

    • CommentAuthorgrp
    • CommentTimeDec 26th 2012
     
    Although technically not a duplicate of "origins of names of algebraic structures", if Joseph O'Rourke had searched for zahlring on MathOverflow, I think he would have found his answer in that question. I am not sad to see it closed, and I often enjoy Joseph's questions.

    Gerhard "Ask Me About System Design" Paseman, 2012.12.26
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    As I remarked in a late comment, what triggered this question was a piece by David Mumford (in "The Best Writing on Mathematics: 2012"), in which he says: "I have no idea why, but when you have any set of things that [...], mathematicians call this set a ring." I looked it up in Wikipedia and did not find that explanation truly explanatory. I am sorry to cause this bit of trouble, but it has evoked an erudite answer by quid, for which I am grateful.

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