Etymology[edit]
The word mail comes from the Medieval English word male, referring to a travelling bag or pack.[2] It was spelled in that manner until the 17th century and is distinct from the word male. The French have a similar word, malle, for a trunk or large box, and mála is the Irish term for a bag. In the 17th century, the word mail began to appear as a reference for a bag that contained letters: "bag full of letter" (1654). Over the next hundred years the word mail began to be applied strictly to the letters themselves and the sack as the mailbag. In the 19th century, the British typically used mail to refer to letters being sent abroad (i.e. on a ship) and post to refer to letters for domestic delivery. The word Post is derived from Medieval French poste, which ultimately stems from the past participle of the Latin verb ponere ("to lay down or place").[3]. So in the U.K., the Royal Mail delivers the post, whilst in North America both the U.S. Postal Service and Canada Post deliver the mail.
The term email (short for "electronic mail") first appeared in the 1970s.[4][5] The term snail-mail is a retronym to distinguish it from the quicker email. Various dates have been given for its first use.[6][7][8]
Mail 報紙名
MailOnline - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from MailOnline, Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Get started with The Globe and Mail digital today. In depth long form reporting for a short price. Newsletters and eBooks・Exclusive Member Benefits・Subscriber-only Content・Unique Globe Articles・Award Winning Journalism。
Assess their skills, lower the entry barriers to professions and speed up paper work
snail mail noun [U] INFORMAL HUMOROUS
Assess their skills, lower the entry barriers to professions and speed up paper work
letters or messages that are not sent by email, but by regular post:
We agreed the deal online, but we'll have to wait for snail mail to get the paperwork.
沒有留言:
張貼留言