Does the term "Postal Authority" Make sense?
I have received a parcel today, from Israel, and the box is branded "Israel Postal Authority".
In Hebrew the same body has the word "Reshut" in its name, a term I believe originated from the Hebrew word for "permission" (the postal authority is a governmental body, thus it got a permission from the government to do what it does). So I can see why "authority" was picked as a direct translation (it is a government authorised body). Similarly, Israel has "The Broadcast Authority".
I live in the UK, where we have the Royal Mail, or the British Broadcast Association, but I fail to think of a single business or body that has "authority" in its name. I can't help feeling "postal authority" being somewhat of totalitarian nature.
Is it just a bad translation, or is it common and sensible for bodies as such to carry "authority" in their name?
I live in the UK and have no problem with this use of authority.
The fact that it is not included in the formal name of an organisation, does not mean that the word "authority" cannot be used in a 'generic' sense to describe the purpose of an organisation.
I would say that the UK postal authority is Royal Mail (at least for the time being!).
We also have various electricity, water, and gas authorities, either nationally or regionally, who are responsible for the infrastructure, even though you may purchase your electricity, water, or gas from a different company.
We have British Telecom as the telecommunications authority, who again maintain the infrastructure, irrespective of who you pay your telephone bill to.
In any event, even if we didn't have such authorities in the UK, it would not mean that Israel cannot have a body known as their Postal Authority, because they and other countries may well have a more centralised organisational structure of utilities than the UK does.
Authority (sense 3b): a governmental agency or corporation to administer a revenue-producing public enterprise - Merriam Webster
In the US, the term authority is used for governmental or quasi-governmental groups, one of the most common being port authorities which control and regulate docks and buildings associated with shipping. See, for example
- Georgia Ports Authority
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
- Misssissippi State Port Autority
Similarly, many jurisdictions use the term for public transportation entities
- Georgia Regional Transportation Authority
- Metropolitan Transit Authority (NYC)