Mailshot(s) = junk mail?

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi

In fact, mailshot is a word that is rarely included in dictionaries, but it’s in use, even in quite formally written articles/reports (one of which I’m just starting to read).

My question is:
can mailshort(s) be used NOT in the meaning junk mail, but in more ‘positive sense’? :slight_smile:
Just to refer to sending a (e-)mail letter to a number of recipients ‘in one volley’ (sorry for my using the military vocabulary, I just don’t know how to say that in ‘civil’ terms :)).

2

Hi Tamara

I’ve only heard the word “mailshot”. Did you really mean to write “mailshort” :?:

A mailshot isn’t necessarily just email. It can also be “snail mail” (sent by regular mail).

Saying “mailshot” is the positive point of view. It’s the advertiser’s point of view. No advertiser wants to say or admit that potential customers are being spammed. :lol:

However, the recipient of the “mailshot” is likely to simply see it as “junk mail” or “spam”. :wink:

The word mailshort looks like either a misspelling or possibly the name of an organisation providing mailshots.

Amy

3

Ah, sorry, mailshort was my typo. :slight_smile: Two previous uses (including the thread’s name) are ‘more right’ :slight_smile:

Thanks. Amy, for the answer. That’s exactly what I wanted - two points of view (sender - recipient) on the same subject. :slight_smile:

Thanks a lot!

P.S. Of course, I didn’t mean only e-mail letters (as you could see, ‘e-’ is bracketed in my post).

4

You could say ‘in one go’, ‘in one hit’, ‘in one shot’ or ‘at once’, for example.

5

Sorry, I have one more question:

Does mailshot (singular) refer to the same letter or leaflet that is sent to a number of recipients
OR
to a delivery item (to one leaflet from a number of identical (hard) copies printed and sent to numerous people at ‘the same time’? At once (thanks, Conchita).

So, in short: :slight_smile:
500 million mailshots – what are they actually referring to?

6

Hi,

I would say it’s both. You can receive a mailshot from M and S - a single leaflet.

You can use mailshot as a device for telling everyone about M and S.

You can even, I believe, use it as a verb as in: I would recommend you mailshot everyone on the town over 50 (years of age).

Alan (over 50)

7

Especially if you’ve looked up in American Dictionaries, since it seems to be mainly used in British English:

According to Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary:

mailshot MAINLY UK noun [C] (US USUALLY mass mailing)
the posting of advertising or similar material to a lot of people at one time

And to the Compact Oxford English Dictionary:

mailshot
• noun Brit. a piece of advertising material sent to a large number of addresses.

8

Thank you, Alan.

as a device? Hmm…

Yes, Conchita.
Also, none of my English-Russian dictionaries ‘know’ the word. And MS Word, either :slight_smile: :lol: (But now I’ve tought it 8) , at least my own, home PC, installation. :slight_smile: )