Dispatched or Despatched?

[tethersend]

I ask as I am sat here chasing up two parcels- one of which has been dispatched, whilst the other has been despatched.

Which is correct?

And why the fucking fuck have neither of them arrived?

Tethers - it can be either.

Lol at not arriving. Although, it's not funny, it's the way you said it.

Hope they arrive soon!

I had a long-running argument with a colleague about this one (the hours just fly by, I can tell you ).

He says they're interchangeable.

I think 'des-' is from/away & 'dis-' is to.

As in 'I quickly despatched the gatecrashers' but 'I have dispatched the documents to you'.

Can't find a dictionary to back me up though - & believe me, I've tried - there was a tenner on it at one point!

Raven, that's an interesting distinction; shame you can't prove it. Afraid I always thought the two words meant the same, with 'des-' being an old-fashioned form. But that's based only on Chambers etc. saying 'despatch see dispatch'.

Tethers - hope the parcels arrived!