Hi!
I thought "sorted by date" was a big clue as to what I wanted to do! Just
in case it's still not clear. I would like to *sequence* my mail by date.
Cheers,
Jason.
--On Thursday, June 29, 2000 12:33 -0500 David W. Tamkin deftly scribbled:
Something ought to be done about the ambiguous term "sorting mail." It
has two distinct meanings: to put messages into a desired order, or to
file them into their appropriate places. The former could more clearly
be called "se- quencing" mail and the latter is already known as
"throwing" mail.
Sunday and again today people have posted questions here about "sorting"
their mail. Nobody has answered the one from Sunday, at least not
publicly; the other one just came through. I can't respond to either
because I don't know whether they want help to sequence their mail a
certain way or help to throw their mail a certain way. In today's
question I'd guess its author means sequence, not throw, but I'm less
than positive; for Sunday's question I can't even guess.
I propose that ambiguous uses of "sorting mail" be declared obscene on
this list. If you mean sequencing, please say "sequencing" or "putting
in order" or something similar; if you mean throwing, please say
"throwing" or "separa- ting" or something comparable.
Anyone posting here about "sorting" mail without making it clear whether
(s)he means sequencing or throwing who has been speaking English (perhaps
along with other languages) since first becoming verbal or whose studies
of English began five years or longer before posting, will be presented
with the NAUSEA (Naughty Ambiguous Usage of `Sort Email' Award). Anyone
doing so who is less familiar with English should get a patient
explanation, at least the first time or two.
As to whether it's the usage or the award that I'm calling naughty, well,
that's just another nasty ambiguity.
Retroactive NAUSEAs will not be awarded. Posthumous ones might.
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