Drawing on philosophy of language and recent linguistic theory, Rowland surveys several approaches to classroom communication in mathematics. Are students intimidated by the nature of mathematics teaching? Many students appear fearful of voicing their understanding – is fear of error part of the linguistics of mathematics? The approaches explored here provide a rationale and a method for exploring and understanding speakers” motives in classroom mathematics talk. Teacher-student interactions in mathematics are analysed, and this provides a toolkit that teachers can use to respond to the intellectual vulnerability of their students.