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Joined: Mar 2009
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stranger
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stranger
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2 |
I scoured OED-online for this word already, which my dad claims exists, but I think he's imagining things: a word that describes two letters, A and B, crossing each other midway, such that A was going to B and B to A. Let me know if this word exists, but if not, maybe sharing fancy words for postal events, like this one I got from the USPS glossary of terms, will make it all worthwhile: à découvert - (French) Universal Postal Union term for open transit mail (mail that crosses U.S. borders while en route from one foreign country to another) that is in unsealed containers. Also, "être à découvert" supposedly means to overdraft your bank account in French. The respondent below makes clear why à découvert applies to 'unsealed' containers. Thanks all!
Last edited by Pfhyde; 03/27/09 05:00 PM.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295 |
Literally à découvert means uncovered , unsheltered, not protected . Welcome.
As for the crossing, no idea.
Last edited by BranShea; 03/27/09 04:56 PM.
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Joined: Mar 2009
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stranger
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stranger
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6 |
Wow. I thought my query was specific! Can't help, but it's a neat concept; it would be equally neat to have a word for it.
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Joined: Jun 2006
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295 |
What would you suggest? I would simply call them crossnotes.
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Posts: 2,154
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154 |
I wonder if the post office has a specific professional-jargon term.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
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I wonder if the post office has a specific professional-jargon term. I wouldn't think that the post office would even notice that it had happened. Possibly in a small town post office someone might note that person X had received mail from person Y very shortly after person X had sent mail to person Y but even then I don't think it would be considered extraordinary enough to have a term for it. It happens in email all the time and I personally have never noted it with anything much more than a comment on ships passing in the night.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290 |
What would you suggest?
Letters that cross in the mail.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jul 2005
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Pfh: I agree that if there isn't one there ought to be. If you have the patience, however:
http://onelook.com/?w=*&loc=revfp2&clue=letters+cross+mail
dalehileman
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enthusiast
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enthusiast
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
What would you suggest?
Letters that cross in the mail. heh
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