This theoretical paper examines views about the role of language and mathematical discourse in learning mathematics. Current research is still addressing what constitutes a mathematical discourse. As new conceptions of the purpose of language use in mathematics are explored, and associated ontological and epistemic positions are revealed, one might ask: how are we able to reframe our view of language to support a social participation perspective? This paper proposes the consideration of Wittgenstein's philosophy of language games to shift our conception of classroom language use in mathematics to encompass broader contextual features such as participation, patterns of exchange and social norms.