mail 的用法及固定搭配

mail

说“寄(信)”在英国多用post,在美国多用mail。I shall post the letter to him tomorrow是英国英语,I shall mail the letter to him tomorrow是美国英语。by post是英国英语,by mail是美国英语。Has the post come yet?是英国英语,Has the mail come yet?是美国英语。

关于post和mail的区别,下面几点该注意:

(1)用作动词时,post和mail有时都有双宾语。例如:We will post(或mail)you the booklet early next week.

(2)mail可以统指“信件”, post不可,如可以说He has a large amount of mail to answer every day和His desk is covered with unopened mail,但不可说He has a large amount of post to answer every day和His desk is covered with unopened post,该把post改作letters。在英国也有人用mail。mail往往包括报纸、杂志等。

(3)统指一包一包的邮件在英美都用mails。例如:The mails arrived by rail. 不可用post或posts。

(4)air mail(航空邮递),mail order(邮购、函购)和mail train(邮政列车)是英美通用的。