Postman or Mailman

Non-fashion, non-skirt, non-gender discussions. If your post is related to fashion, skirts or gender, please choose one of the forums above for it.
User avatar
crfriend
Master Barista
Posts: 14431
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:52 pm
Location: New England (U.S.)
Contact:

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by crfriend »

Canoe vs. kayak...

Both terms are used in US vernacular, with both having long histories in the New World.

The Canoe was very widely used by fur-trappers and traders in the northern tier of the US and throughout Canada during the late 17th to early 19th centuries. It's a fair-weather sort of boat that tips easily and swamps once so done but can carry an astonishing amount of weight compared to its own mass. The kayak, whilst likely in use in the Old World, is, in the New, largely regarded as an Inuit craft where water-tightness was paramount and where one can completely roll the thing (i.e. capsize it) and recover using paddle-power which cannot be done with a canoe. Carry-capacity of the kayak, therefore, was a lot less than that of the canoe, but that sacrifice in capacity paid off in other ways.

A canoe is entirely open-hull; a kayak, properly kitted out, has a skirt (there's that word again) that serves as a near-watertight seal between the hull and the person(s) in it thus making the occasional capsize non-lethal.
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
Faldaguy
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1122
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2020 5:09 am
Location: Costa Rica

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by Faldaguy »

by Fred in Skirts » Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:38 am

In my neck of the woods we call them #@&%$+*#$#. As they are so bad with getting the right mail to the right address. And are usually late in doing so.
I have had 9 different people in 3 years on my mail route, they just can't keep good people because the roads are so bad, mostly unpaved dirt roads since the farmers drive their equipment on them and if they were paved it would tare them up.
When I first moved to where I am currently living I had a very good mail person. If I did not pick up the mail for 2 or 3 days she would drive up into the woods to my house and check on me to make sure I was alright and had not had an accident or was sick.
Fred, cheer up -- here we may not have such a colorful name, but "service" is a very peculiar term! The name is probably, Los repartidores, but regardless of the implication of that, mail is often not delivered, and certainly not in short order. Most of us here have given up on the oficinas de correo (post office) for mail as it either takes too long (maybe six-ten weeks from the US; and a bit longer from Canada....) or if there are any contents, those may just 'fall out' somewhere along the route....estimates seem to vary from 25-40% of the time! Our go-to solution is to give outgoing mail to a friend who is leaving the country on a plane and can post it for us in France, or Mexico, or the US -- anywhere but here. And, it is often faster to get our packages by sending them to wherever that friend is staying, and having them bring it back in their suitcase.

Now, before I completely disparage our los rapartidores, let me say they do have a challenge or two. First, we do not have street addresses! My home is 1 kilometer south of "X- hotel" etc. Often the landmark disappeared a generation ago, but it is still 'known' and referenced! Now, if you do get a letter or package to arrive at the correo, then it is likely to be given a a lad on a moto (motorcycle) who will track you down. Fortunately for us, we are a small region and it does not take much asking to 'get directions' for almost anyone. You do sometimes have to 'average' about three replies to get a decent approximation in some cases because if you want something (directions) people are going to give you some (that is what you asked for) and even if they do not know the place you are seeking, because you asked and wanted directions -- you will get some! I do admit that I have had letters delivered to my house, from these young chaps I've not met -- and I live in a pretty wild 'end of the road' place, so they do exhibit some remarkable talent when the item has actually arrived, and they are motivated. (Motivation does not happen in the rain; even our police head back to their office in the rain.)

So, cheer up Fred -- you've got it pretty darn good!
User avatar
denimini
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 3224
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:50 am
Location: Outback Australia

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by denimini »

In Australia we have both; in cities it is a postman, shortened to "Postie" who walks or rides a 90cc step-thru motor cycle. In the bush where I live there is no personal letterbox delivery but there is a "mailman" who drives a 4X4 to deliver mail to remote properties. The "mailman" is quite often a woman (who still portrays themselves as female). There are many great stories about the mailman in the outback, they used to carry everything, including passengers wedged in between barrels on the tray. A great institution it was ....... and still is.
mail truck.jpg
Tom Kruse, above and below, was one of those mailmen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSa4esN3CHM
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by denimini on Sat Jul 11, 2020 4:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Anthony, a denim miniskirt wearer in Outback Australia
User avatar
denimini
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 3224
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:50 am
Location: Outback Australia

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by denimini »

The first time my brother came up to visit me there had been rain. I told him to ring the lady at the telephone exchange, who knew everything, to ask if the road was open. She told him that the mailman had got through that morning.
My brother arrived very late and had a terrible trip. She didn't tell him that the mailman drove a 6X6 international truck.
Anthony, a denim miniskirt wearer in Outback Australia
Big and Bashful
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 2921
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:51 pm
Location: Scottish West Coast

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by Big and Bashful »

Uncle Al wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:54 pm A Canoe was based upon Native American crafted 1 or 2 person boats.
These were used on lakes and small rivers.
Example:

Canoe 2020-07-10.jpg

Where as Kayak was based on a Norwegian 1 or 2 person boat.
Used for rapid flowing waters or oceans.
Example"


Kayak 2020-07-10.jpg

Note:
The Canoe has a full length open top. Water can easily get into the boat.
The Kayak has a closed top, helping to keep water out of the boat.

I hope this helps :D

Uncle Al
:mrgreen: :ugeek: :mrgreen:
Yep, my understanding as an Britisher is that a kayak is closed in, a canoe is open
I am the God of Hellfire! and I bring you truffles!
User avatar
Sinned
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5804
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:28 pm
Location: York, England

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by Sinned »

I suspect that the use of "postman" in the song "Please Mr Postman" was because of the repetition of the "p" sound. After all "Please Mr Mailman" just doesn't have that ring to it.

As for kayak and canoe I just thought that a kayak was an American or Canadian version. But then, as I have never really used either except when in the Scouts to get my Canoeing badge, I'm a complete novice and have never been in either in over 50 years.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
Stu
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1314
Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2003 8:25 am
Location: North Lincolnshire, UK

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by Stu »

Sinned wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 8:17 pm I suspect that the use of "postman" in the song "Please Mr Postman" was because of the repetition of the "p" sound.
My wife suggested the same - i.e alliteration of the /p/. That is probably correct, but it only works if the word "postman" is used in the US and that's what I was wondering.
PatJ
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 372
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2003 9:34 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by PatJ »

I am just curious so I am going to ask everyone to search their memories.

It has been a lot of years ago, but I recall that someone who worked for
the postal service (and had been either fired or became disgruntled) took
a weapon into the Post Office and started shooting people.

I bring this up because around my part of the country, the term "Going Postal"
was coined for people who turned to violence like this.

If you have heard the term "Going Postal" was it in reference to the Post
Office or to the Postal Worker?

The point is that Postal Worker may have been common usage years ago,
and simply fell into disuse rather than coming from some song lyric.
User avatar
denimini
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 3224
Joined: Wed Jan 07, 2015 2:50 am
Location: Outback Australia

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by denimini »

In Australia we weren't so derogatory about our Posties; we used the term "going birko" after a household appliance that used to have meltdowns.
Anthony, a denim miniskirt wearer in Outback Australia
User avatar
Sinned
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5804
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:28 pm
Location: York, England

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by Sinned »

"Going postal" doesn't have any negative connotations over here that I know of. No real meaning at all.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
User avatar
crfriend
Master Barista
Posts: 14431
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:52 pm
Location: New England (U.S.)
Contact:

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by crfriend »

PatJ wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 2:12 amIf you have heard the term "Going Postal" was it in reference to the Post Office or to the Postal Worker?
This term was very common back in the 1990s, and it was used in relation to the U.S. Postal Service proper which, at the time, had such a toxic work environment it was pushing folks over the edge. They have since cleaned up their act and things have gotten vastly better, and the phenomenon disappeared. Sadly the taint lives on, though.
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
pelmut
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1923
Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2014 10:36 am
Location: Somerset, England

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by pelmut »

Sinned wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:21 am "Going postal" doesn't have any negative connotations over here that I know of. No real meaning at all.
A long while ago I heard it being used (in the U.K.) as a description of someone going berserk over some minor matter - but it soon fell out of use.
There is no such thing as a normal person, only someone you don't know very well yet.
FranTastic444
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 569
Joined: Fri Jun 08, 2018 1:47 am
Location: Boston, MA

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by FranTastic444 »

Big and Bashful
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 2921
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:51 pm
Location: Scottish West Coast

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by Big and Bashful »

Going Postal is one of the Pratchett books that got televised, better on paper though.
I am the God of Hellfire! and I bring you truffles!
User avatar
crfriend
Master Barista
Posts: 14431
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:52 pm
Location: New England (U.S.)
Contact:

Re: Postman or Mailman

Post by crfriend »

Big and Bashful wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:17 pmGoing Postal is one of the Pratchett books that got televised, better on paper though.
Which actually has nothing to do with the tragic consequences seen in the USA during the 1990s from the phenomenon of the same name.
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
Post Reply