ships

2 May 2002

in the uk we traditionally pay for “postage and packing” on mail order goods. in the us they pay for “shipping”. why? by which i mean that there are a limited number of internal routes in america on which ships are (or could be) used and even though shipping means “to cause to be transported by or as if by ship; send.” it seems a curious term to use when ships are unlikely to be involved.