Mail returned by An Post

Cathaoirleach · 14-05-2009 01:55PM #1

Sorry, I have no idea which forum this message belongs to.

I sent a packet to the USA recently.

Instead of putting "United States of America" on the address, I put "Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá" - (USA in Irish)

It was returned to my address a few days later - they ovbiously didn't understand the Irish bit.

Should I complain to An Post or just resend the letter in English? It's just that it cost me 5 euro (it's a packet) and now I have to pay another 5 euro to re-send it. :rolleyes:

Can I get a refund? I thought An Post were supposed to send and receive mail in Irish and English.

My name is URL · 14-05-2009 01:56PM

Just resend it. If you have the address written in Irish how is an American mailman gonna read it?

SV · 14-05-2009 01:57PM

What was the point in putting it in Irish anyway?

Ri_Nollaig · 14-05-2009 02:04PM

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

...
Instead of putting "United States of America" on the address, I put "Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá" - (USA in Irish)
...

Why would you do that? Its leaving a country where most wouldn't know that was USA in Irish never mind when it reached America.

iMax · 14-05-2009 02:05PM

"Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá" Does not exist.
"United States Of America" Does exist.

You just cost yourself €5. Suck it up & get it right next time.

CreepingDeath · 14-05-2009 02:06PM

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

Can I get a refund? I thought An Post were supposed to send and receive mail in Irish and English.

If they did, it would be within Ireland itself.
They pass the letter to the American Postal service, they have no such commitment.

Tell me this, if you had a serious car crash and were ringing for an ambulance would you insist on speaking in Irish ?

Cathaoirleach · 14-05-2009 02:06PM

It's just the USA bit that's in Irish, the rest is in English.

It says California on it.

I don't see why I can't have USA in Irish. All other countries put the country name in their local language. Eg. if I was sending a message from Spain, it would say 'Estados Unidos'.

It just seems like I'm being screwed for 5 euro. An Post is a government body and should be able to handle mail in both Irish and English, or I would have thought...?

Cool_CM · 14-05-2009 02:07PM

SV wrote: »

What was the point in putting it in Irish anyway?

+1
You were sending it to America, some Americans can hardly speak English, nevermind Irish (wich they are not expected to speak).
I'm all for the use of Irish, but there are certain situations where using Irish is neither advisable nor warranted. This is one of them.

Cuddlesworth · 14-05-2009 02:12PM

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

It's just the USA bit that's in Irish, the rest is in English.

It says California on it.

I don't see why I can't have USA in Irish. All other countries put the country name in their local language. Eg. if I was sending a message from Spain, it would say 'Estados Unidos'.

It just seems like I'm being screwed for 5 euro. An Post is a government body and should be able to handle mail in both Irish and English, or I would have thought...?

You are mistaking sending a package to a country in their local language and sending a package to a country in your local language.

Big difference.

Cool_CM · 14-05-2009 02:17PM

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

It's just the USA bit that's in Irish, the rest is in English.

It says California on it.

I don't see why I can't have USA in Irish. All other countries put the country name in their local language. Eg. if I was sending a message from Spain, it would say 'Estados Unidos'.

Could be this California http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California,_Buckinghamshire
or any other California in the world.
If you really wanted the package to get there, the onus is on you to provide the address that you want to send it to, the people sorting mail do not have supernatural powers and to return a package that is going to an address that they deem to be unclear is a lot better than delivering it to the wrong person.
Pay your €5 and learn from it.

AnonoBoy · 14-05-2009 02:17PM

Just write it in English and quit your jibber jabber.

pab_lowe · 14-05-2009 02:17PM

are any of you actually reading the OPs post. The address was in English apart from the country of destination. Once the package leaves Ireland, no one needs to translate the country of destination any more. Jeebus, even someone with a modicum of cop could guess the destination if California was the next line

iMax · 14-05-2009 02:18PM

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

It's just the USA bit that's in Irish, the rest is in English.

What's the point of doing that?

Dude, they should have charged you double for the hassle.

TPD · 14-05-2009 02:20PM

Why write an address in two different languages? Seems like you did it for the novelty and got burned. Suck it up and move on, I say.

KTRIC · 14-05-2009 02:23PM

Someone correct me here but am I right in thinking the name of the country should be written in the first language of the country its being sent from. The remainder should be written in the first language of the recieving country ??

I live in Germany and when I post to Ireland I write the address in English (i know An Post should be able to read Irish and English, but I couldn't be bothered) and then the country "Irland" at the end.

Ri_Nollaig · 14-05-2009 02:23PM

pab_lowe wrote: »

are any of you actually reading the OPs post. The address was in English apart from the country of destination. Once the package leaves Ireland, no one needs to translate the country of destination any more. Jeebus, even someone with a modicum of cop could guess the destination if California was the next line

was gonna ask that,
did it actually reach America?
While I still think its stupid to have USA in Irish once it reached America you would think the California would be enough from there and since they use Zip codes.
oh well lesson learned, use English next time

punchestown · 14-05-2009 02:23PM

Just bring the package back to the Post Office and explain what happened. It will be reposted for you without any additional cost.

Rabies · 14-05-2009 02:23PM

Well done OP.

Monkey61 · 14-05-2009 02:26PM

Am I missing something here...you wrote the address in English and then decided to put USA in Irish, just for the craic??? Come on...

el_tiddlero · 14-05-2009 02:28PM

Talk to Joe FTW

Karoma · 14-05-2009 02:30PM

Oh dear, thash was offul mean of the man. Tow-tally offul. Thash'll cosht you a cúpla yoyo's for your cúpla focail. Offul, I say.

antodeco · 14-05-2009 02:32PM

Bothar, Cuineas, Cailin Bainne, Sharon Ni Bheolian.

Do mhathair!

RonMexico · 14-05-2009 02:32PM

Ha Ha

Homer · 14-05-2009 02:35PM

Amadan

kelle · 14-05-2009 02:39PM

It was a bit silly putting SAM instead of USA, but the Americans are real jobsworth types. If you misspell or omit any part of an address, the letter won't get delivered. I once had a letter sent back because I put St instead of Street (that's what i think it was, no reason was given and my relatives hadn't moved!).

TheZohanS · 14-05-2009 02:44PM

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

Should I complain to An Post or just resend the letter in English? It's just that it cost me 5 euro (it's a packet) and now I have to pay another 5 euro to re-send it. :rolleyes:

Can I get a refund? I thought An Post were supposed to send and receive mail in Irish and English.

You should thank An Post.

Now you have an opportunity to put the correct address on it and it's only costing you €5.

Had it made it to the US you would probably be down your €5 and the contents of the package.

topper75 · 14-05-2009 02:50PM

Cathaoirleach wrote: »

Sorry, I have no idea which forum this message belongs to.

I sent a packet to the USA recently.

Instead of putting "United States of America" on the address, I put "Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá" - (USA in Irish)

It was returned to my address a few days later - they ovbiously didn't understand the Irish bit.

Should I complain to An Post or just resend the letter in English? It's just that it cost me 5 euro (it's a packet) and now I have to pay another 5 euro to re-send it. :rolleyes:

Can I get a refund? I thought An Post were supposed to send and receive mail in Irish and English.

You are definitely entitled to a refund. €5 too little to worry about? It's principle that matters. The language act means that An Post (note they are not called The Post funnily enough:pac:) are obliged to deliver your parcel as the address was written in the OFFICIAL language of Ireland.

For all the haters that think principle doesn't matter - well if it didn't the Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá wouldn't even exist at all. It'd still be 'Her Majesty's colonies in the Americas'.

I always write Irlanda or whatever when sending postcards home from hols, so it is perfectly logical to expect the Irish postal service to get the parcel into the American system, where 'CALIFORNIA' is the next line picked up on. Definitely refund (or free resend) due from An Post.

You get no satisfaction there mo chara - then this guy http://www.coimisineir.ie/ would love to hear from you.

IvyTheTerrible · 14-05-2009 02:53PM

topper75 wrote: »

You are definitely entitled to a refund. €5 too little to worry about? It's principle that matters. The language act means that An Post (note they are not called The Post funnily enough:pac:) are obliged to deliver your parcel as the address was written in the OFFICIAL language of Ireland.

They are obliged to deliver your parcel. However last time I checked they don't operate in the US.

AlmightyCushion · 14-05-2009 03:08PM

Re-send it except this time write it in klingon.

topper75 · 14-05-2009 03:09PM

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

They are obliged to deliver your parcel. However last time I checked they don't operate in the US.

:oI'll tighten that up - An Post are obliged to get it to the States, where their system takes over. It's not the 'American mailman's' concern what we call his country in our language.

minidazzler · 14-05-2009 03:09PM

topper75 wrote: »

You are definitely entitled to a refund. €5 too little to worry about? It's principle that matters. The language act means that An Post (note they are not called The Post funnily enough:pac:) are obliged to deliver your parcel as the address was written in the OFFICIAL language of Ireland.

True, but An Post were being Smart, what happens if it was sent off to America, and they decided that another language couldn't be read so Binned it? Then the OP would be complaining about that.

TBH, it is all the OP's fault for just being illogical.

Mail returned by An Post

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