Just realized that the Royal Mail delivers the post, whereas the US Postal Service delivers the mail.

[byorgey@mathstodon.xyz]

Just realized that the Royal Mail delivers the post, whereas the US Postal Service delivers the mail. What the heck, English.

[seabass@social.seabass.systems]

@byorgey I resolutely stick to what I believe is the most etymologically sound usage: Royal Mail is a postal service which delivers the mail. Post meaning the system by which the delivery is made, and mail being the object which is being delivered.

I think I might be in the minority of British people with this view though

[timsk@mastodon.social]

@byorgey next we'll be parking on driveways, and driving on parkways, and then where will we be, eh?

[nxskok@cupoftea.social]

@byorgey also, Canada Post delivers the mail.

[christopherbrown@mastodon.social]

@nxskok @byorgey In the interest of further muddying the waters, does Canada have ZIP Codes or Post Codes?

[nxskok@cupoftea.social]

@christopherbrown @byorgey postal codes.

[qurlyjoe@mstdn.social]

@byorgey
Probably Ben Franklin’s fault. He was the one who created the first US mail system.

[jimmylittle@hachyderm.io]

@byorgey @michaelgemar In this very rare case, the US English is the right one.

It’s called the “postal service” because mail used to be relayed between “posts” - named after the Latin word for stations along a fixed path. So posts became post offices and the whole operation became the Postal Service.

I think it’s kinda weird to call a piece of mail a “post”, but that’s just me following etymology and stuff.

[mackaj@mastodon.me.uk]

@seabass @byorgey

As a fellow Brit, that matches my understanding perfectly