in the mail

[Heidi]

Dear teachers,

Please tell me what 'in the mail' means in the sentence below. In the mail-box? By mail? Or...? Thank you!

- Have you ever gotten a package in the mail?

[5jj]

By mail.

[Heidi]

By mail.

- Have you ever gotten a package in the mail?

Could we also interpret 'in the mail' as being in all the letters you've ever received?

[BobK]

- Have you ever gotten a package in the mail?

Could we also interpret 'in the mail' as being in all the letters you've ever received?

If you wanted to say that, you'd have to spell it out (as you have done: 'in all the mail you've ever received'. 'In the mail' (in the context of receivig a package) just means 'by mail'.

b

[Rover_KE]

I'd say 'Have you ever received a parcel by post?'

Rover

[BobK]

I'd say 'Have you ever received a parcel by post?'

Rover

Me too. The 'gotten' made me happier with 'mail'.

b