# Grammar question: What is this trying to say? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 4, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370 "2011-01-04T15:14:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/21 "2011-01-05T16:19:22Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Instead of “may”, which sounds like asking permission, how about “might”, which conveys possibility? > > “Enter the ZIP code from where this package might be mailed:” > > They can’t go with “will” because then some people might think “Oh, if I enter the zip code, it’ll confirm the purchase” or whatever. I like my version best. Same problem. It might be mailed from any post office. **PunditLisa** provided the unambiguous solution. ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/22 "2011-01-05T18:27:14Z")
Enter the ZIP Code where this item will be mailed from, idiot. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/23 "2011-01-05T18:37:04Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > On the USPS’s site, at one point it asked me > > Enter the ZIP Code from where this item may be mailed: > > What is it asking for? Right above that it says: "Please supply the ZIP Code from where you intend to mail this item. " [http://ircalc.usps.gov/GXGOrigin.aspx?country=10211&m=6&p=2&o=0&mt=7](http://ircalc.usps.gov/GXGOrigin.aspx?country=10211&m=6&p=2&o=0&mt=7) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/24 "2011-01-05T18:38:52Z")
> [@BobArrgh](#): > > Enter the ZIP Code where this item will be mailed from, idiot. [Mod Note]Please try to remember which forum you are posting in. Thank you.[/Mod Note] ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/25 "2011-01-05T20:35:08Z")
There is no ambiguity. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/26 "2011-01-05T20:39:24Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The only thing I see wrong is that you could enter the ZIP code of any post office that would mail the package since it says ‘may be mailed’, not ‘would be mailed’. I might be confused at that. It’s unusual, IME, for the USPS to ask you where you’re mailing something _from_, what with standardized mail rates for many domestic mail services, no matter you mail it from. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/27 "2011-01-05T21:59:33Z")
might vs. may ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/28 "2011-01-06T00:36:56Z")
Ender, what I love about that is that your wife totally gets that you were schooled by a thread on here. 😃 Happy birthday! > [@Czarcasm](#): > > [Mod Note]Please try to remember which forum you are posting in. Thank you.[/Mod Note] JFTR, I read that as him paraphrasing the postal service’s phrasing, not insulting anyone. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/29 "2011-01-06T00:48:13Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Ender, what I love about that is that your wife totally gets that you were schooled by a thread on here. 😃 Happy birthday! > > JFTR, I read that as him paraphrasing the postal service’s phrasing, not insulting anyone. Ditto: supplying the snarky USPS instructions they might write. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370/30 "2011-01-06T02:49:10Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Ender, what I love about that is that your wife totally gets that you were schooled by a thread on here. 😃 Happy birthday! > > JFTR, I read that as him paraphrasing the postal service’s phrasing, not insulting anyone. Yeah, it’s an old joke: “Hey, where are the dorms at?” “At this school we do not end sentences with prepositions.” “Okay, where are the dorms at, asshole?” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-question-what-is-this-trying-to-say/566370.md?page=1)