3 ms·

I've never been able to understand why mail apps insist on the word Compose. Is it an American thing? I've never wanted to compose a piece of text, and never he

• smogcutter 8y ago
  It's the word gmail uses as well.
  • kkarakk 8y ago
    no the word gmail uses is "+"
    • badwolf 8y ago
      https://imgur.com/a/dFx48CV https://imgur.com/a/dFx48CV
      • kkarakk 8y ago
        I do see a "+" front and center though,which is not the case on apple devices. even if I don't know what compose means, I do know that + probably means creating a email
• deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
• mixmastamyk 8y ago
  Sounds a bit grandiose from here in California.
• saagarjha 8y ago
  What word would you use to describe the action of creating a new message?
  • jpindar 8y ago
    write or create or new
• toasterlovin 8y ago
  To be clear: whatever the button is called, it doesn't have any text on iOS (which, as far as I can tell, is what OP was talking about). It's just an icon of a pencil writing on paper.
  • dkonofalski 8y ago
    To be even clearer: It's literally one of only 4 buttons on the main Mail screen (the others being Back, Edit, and Filter). If you just go to Mail and don't even attempt a guess, that's on you.
• rabboRubble 8y ago
  It's from the older phrase "compose a letter". Since letters were replaced with email, the phrase became "compose an email".
• tk75x 8y ago
  Compose is defined as putting together many pieces into one coherent work. Most people associate it with music, where composers put together notes until they make up a piece of music. In the mail app context it also makes perfect sense as you are composing a larger piece of work (your letter) from smaller individual elements (words). TL;DR - Compose is the correct word to use.