# A (probably dumb) postal question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-probably-dumb-postal-question/77859>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 24, 2001, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-probably-dumb-postal-question/77859 "2001-08-24T04:48:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jaimest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/48db29/32.png) [@jaimest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaimest)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-probably-dumb-postal-question/77859/1 "2001-08-24T04:48:30Z")

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If I am writting to someone in Austria from the United States, via airmail, should I put “Austria” in the address or “Österreich”. I know it sounds stupid, but I don’t know better. I want it to end up in the right place.

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**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-probably-dumb-postal-question/77859/2 "2001-08-24T04:57:25Z")

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Either would probably do, but I believe most people would put **Austria**. You will most likely go to the post office to find out how much postage, so why not ask them?

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**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-probably-dumb-postal-question/77859/3 "2001-08-24T05:31:21Z")

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write it in whatever language the person at your post office speaks since he is the person who has to direct it there. Does that make sense?

BTW, we’ve already done this subject and you can probably find it if you do a search

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**Author:** ![Evno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c68b51/32.png) [@Evno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evno)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-probably-dumb-postal-question/77859/4 "2001-08-24T06:51:40Z")

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Working with mail is my job, and can assure you that, as long as it’s not an imaginary place, the post office will figure out what you mean. So either will do.

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**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\
**Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-probably-dumb-postal-question/77859/5 "2001-08-24T07:13:41Z")

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Postal worker checking in here…

Definitely put “Austria”.\*\* The general rule is to write the country name in the official language of the country it’s being posted _from_, and the rest of the address in the official language of the country it’s being posted _to_.\*\*

Here in Australia, we get lots of mis-sent mail which was supposed to go to Austria. Most of it originated from Germany. This is because the sender didn’t obey the “language of place of posting rule”, and wrote it in English for some reason. The German mail sorters or machines, when working at speed, scan the address and mis-read it as “Australia”. They know Austria as “Osterreich” (too lazy to find the umlaut code), so they wouldn’t be on the lookout for this common error. The USPS, on the other hand, would be familiar with it.

“Osterreich” will almost definitely get your article to Austria, but it may be delayed if the sorter or machine doesn’t know this name for the country, and puts it in the “reject” bin for later examination.