I am an employee of Canada Post and for years I have seen the use of despatch or dispatch to describe the act of sending mail from one location or depot to another. I have not been able to discern which is the correct word. Can somebody settle this issue and do differing uses between American usage and "The Queen's English" come into play?
The New York Times Saturday Review of Books: Dr. Walter W. Skeat. in "An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language," treating of this word, derives it from the low Latin "dispedicare." through the old French "despecher," and modern French "depecher." and says: "The spoiling 'dispatch' is very common, but 'despatch ' is the more correct."
So if you want to spoil your mail, dispatch it. Otherwise despatch it.
My beloved Maverick, who is British, e-mailed me the other day about one of Anu's despatches. Personally I use dispatch. So tsu me.
Probably it's a BrE/AmE thing. Since you're CaE you're probably sitting on the fence.
dispatch is pretty much the only way I've seen/used it. despatch just looks wrong to my eyes, though I know it's not.
Hmm, We Canadians do seem to be on the fence. I would dispatch (send) something with despatch (haste.)
Welcome roberdj.
We Canadians do seem to be on the fence. Want some pain reliever for that?
