# Sortation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144 "2007-01-16T01:51:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144/1 "2007-01-16T01:51:49Z")
From the American Heritage Dictionary, online; > [@](#): > > sortation > > SYLLABICATION: sor·ta·tion > PRONUNCIATION: sôr-tshn > NOUN: Sorting, especially when mechanized or automated: the sortation of baggage; sortation of parcels. They do have the definition, but no etymology. So, where on earth did that come from? First I heard of it was checking on a package at FedEx. My package is at their “sortation facility” in San Pablo, CA. Has this word been in general use forever, and I’ve been on the nod? Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144/2 "2007-01-16T02:18:00Z")
No cite, but as far as I can tell, there are three common uses: 1. A faux-impressive synonym for sorting, used by the same sort of person who commonly speaks of interfaces and paradigms. Or uses parameters with no sense of what the word really means. 2. Sorting by automated, mechanical means. (“We bought a new sortation device.”) 3. The _methodology_ of sorting: (“First, sort the whole lot this way. Then sort each batch this other way. Etc.”) > [@](#): > > **Bulk Mail Sortation** > > 1. Group together ten or more pieces of mail going to a single zip code, and bind them with a regulation rubber band. > 2. From the remainder, group together ten or more pieces going to a given three-digit group of zip codes (e.g., 27401 to 27499). Band them likewise. > 3. From the remainder, group together ten or more pieces going to a single state. This is a methodology for sorting, hence a _sortation_. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144/3 "2007-01-16T02:21:45Z")
The OED has it as far back as 1844. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144/4 "2007-01-16T02:24:24Z")
OED cites from 1844. If you want to understand the etymology of the -ation suffix, enjoy. –per the OED > [@](#): > > the particular form of the compound suffix -T-ION (-s-ion, -x-ion), which forms nouns of action from L. pples. in -t-us of vbs. in -re, Fr. vbs. in -er, and their English representatives. As mentioned under -TION (q.v.), the living form of L. -tin-em in OF. was -aisun, -eisun, whence ME. -aisun, -eisun, -esun, mod. -eason, -ison; cf. ratin-em, reisun, REASON; rtin-em, ureisun, ORISON. All F. words in -ation (OF. -aciun, ME. -aciun, -acioun, -acyon) were of later and literary introduction from Latin, though many of them already existed before the earliest introduction of F. words into English, where, in theological writings, passiun occurs c 1175, and sauvaciun c 1225. In French, vbs. in -er:L. -re, far outnumber all others; they also constitute the type on which all recent verbs are formed; hence, nouns in -ation exceed in number not only the early words in -sun, -çun, -ssun, but all the other forms of -tion. In English, they number more than 1500 in modern use; the obsolete examples amount to several hundred more: see, within a few pages, apostrophation, apparation, appendication, apprecation, appunctuation, aquation, argutation, ariolation, artation, asperation, aspernation, assectation, assecuration, assedation, assemblation. A few have no accompanying verb in English use, e.g. constellation, duration, lunation, negation, oration, ovation; the great majority have a verb in -ate, e.g. cre-ate, -ation, moder-ate, -ation, satur-ate, -ation; some are formed on Gr. vbs. in -IZE (of which the L. was, or would be, -zre, Fr. -iser), or their imitations, e.g. organize, -ation, civilize, -ation: the remainder have a vb. without suffix, derived through Fr., either with or without modification; e.g. modi-fy, -fication, appl-y, -ication, publ-ish, -ication, prove, probation; alter-ation, caus-ation, cit-ation, commend-ation, consult-ation, embark-ation, fix-ation, form-ation, not-ation, plant-ation, quot-ation, tax-ation, tempt-ation, vex-ation, visit-ation. To the mere English speaker the latter have the effect of being formed immediately on the Eng. verbs alter, cause, embark, fix, plant, tax, vex, visit, etc.; and -ation thus assumes the character of a living Eng. suffix. Hence, it comes to be applied to verbs not of Fr. origin, as in starv-ation, flirt-ation, bother-ation, backward-ation. For the meaning, see -TION; words in which -ation is, or seems to be, merely added to the verb, are synonymous with the verbal substantive in -ing; already in 17th c. the use of vexation, visitation, etc. instead of vexing, visiting, etc. (flirtation, starvation had not yet been heard of) was ridiculed thus: > > 1638 RANDOLPH Amyntas I. iii. 32 Thestylis. But what languages doe they speake, servant? Mopsus. Several languages, as Cawation, Chirpation, Hootation, Whistleation, Crowation, Cackleation, Shriekation, Hissation. The. And Fooleation! ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144/5 "2007-01-16T03:14:11Z")
My first reaction to the thread’s title was that the word “sortation” would relate to a random choice by lot. How accurate is FedEx in its delivery practices? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144/6 "2007-01-16T04:58:01Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] My first reaction to the thread’s title was that the word “sortation” would relate to a random choice by lot. How accurate is FedEx in its delivery practices? 🙂 [/QUOTE] I don’t care. I prefer USPS regardless of the facts. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144/7 "2007-01-16T05:03:37Z")
The huge USPS facility that uswd to be close to my work was named “The USPS Sort Facility”, IIRC. It for sure wasn’t any sortation _anything_. I guess the word’s okay. I’ve just never heard it used. Hell, I got used to “don’t go there”. Meaning, for anyone who doesn’t know, “don’t talk about that”. ---
**Author:** ![Phantom\_Dennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Phantom\_Dennis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantom_Dennis)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144/8 "2007-01-16T07:26:23Z")
I used to work in a warehouse with a “Sortation Desk” (an area where labels and packing slips were sorted for outbound product). I thought the word was fishy at first, but eventually I verified it in a dictionary and stopped smugly correcting all my coworkers. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sortation/388144/9 "2007-01-16T13:35:51Z")
I learned a long time ago not to smugly correct, generally. Well, except for the Chevy Nova in Mexico myth and it’s ilk. Generally, I ask. Hence this thread.