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I got a flyer from the American Heart Association that provides the following in bold type:
To comply with IRS regulations, the American Heart Association receipts all donors of $250 or more.
One dictionary says "To give a receipt for; as, to receipt goods delivered by a sheriff." That same dictionary says: "To put a receipt on, as by writing or stamping; as, to receipt a bill."
But none of the dictionaries seems to sanction making donors the object of the verb receipt.
Have any of you run into this construction before? While it seems obvious in context, though decided awkard IMNSHO, do you consider the quoted sentence to be good or bad English construction?
TEd
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It goes without saying …
Right. Whatever Faldo meant by his crytpic remark, I probably think the opposite.
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To comply with IRS regulations, the American Heart Association receipts all donors of $250 or more. Drop the "s" in "receipts". To comply with IRS regulations, the American Heart Association receipt all donors of $250 or more. Better?Change "donors" to donations. To comply with IRS regulations, the American Heart Association receipt all dononations of $250 or more. Much better!Add directive words and clauses.In order to comply with IRS regulations the American Heart Association offers receipts for donations of $250 or more. Best.(That nice sentence makes you want to send $250 just to get back a reciept, doesn't it?) 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Quote:
It goes without saying …
Right. Whatever Faldo meant by his crytpic remark, I probably think the opposite.
I'm sure you do.
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Quote:
To comply with IRS regulations, the American Heart Association receipt all donors of $250 or more. Better?
I receipt, you receipt, he/she/it/the American Heart Assoc. receipts . No?
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Carpal Tunnel
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But they do not receipt donors, they receipt statements and send them to donors. Or some such. To receipt, according to the dictionary, means to write a receipt upon. Doubt the IRS wants a piece of me to prove I made a donation.. Er. Hmmm. Nope. Nemmind! 
TEd
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Quote:
I receipt, you receipt, he/she/it/the American Heart Assoc. receipts . No?
Maybe Myridon, but I would overrule the rule. The transfer of meaning from a noun to a verb doesn't need the beguilement of an additional plural sounding "s".
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Pooh-Bah
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Quote:
Sure it does.
Uh, inselpeter, sure "what" does?
Is it considered hip in New Yawk to be sibylline and cryptic? 
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Pooh-Bah
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I wouldn't know; I'm not a hipster.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Quote:
To receipt, according to the dictionary, means to write a receipt upon.
Come, come, TEd. You don't expect some brick and mortar piece of cloth and paper to keep up, do you? Humpty Dumpty wasn't the only source of linguistic wisdom. The Red Queen said, "You have to run as fast as you can just to stay in one place."
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