2020-11-02
ศัพท์ น่าสับสน ชุด M – mantle - mantel
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Dictionary.com
ออกเสียง mantle & mantel = ‘MAN-tl”
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree
mantle
a cloak; something that conceals: the mantle of darkness
Not to be confused with:
mantel – facing of a fireplace; a shelf above: Put the clock on the mantel.
Dictionary.com
VOCAB BUILDER
What does mantel mean?
A mantel is the frame around the opening of a fireplace.
Mantel also commonly refers to a shelf above the fireplace
(which may or may not be attached to the other kind of mantel).
This shelf can also be called a mantelshelf.
Both senses of mantel can also be spelled mantle.
(The word mantle has many other meanings.)
Synonyms for mantel include mantlepiece, mantelboard, and chimneypiece.
Example: This mantel will need to be replaced since the wood is rotting, but the fireplace itself looks solid.
Where does mantel come from?
The first records of the word mantel come from the late 1400s.
It’s a variant of the word mantle, which is recorded before 900 and ultimately derives from the Latin mantellum, from mantum, meaning “coat” or “cloak.”
A mantel can be thought of as a kind of
protective coat for a fireplace.
Mantels were once often extensions of the manteltree, a large piece of wood or stone that went above a fireplace to support the structure.
Today, though, most mantels are decorative,
meaning they’re not a structural element of the fireplace or chimney.
Instead, they’re simply constructed over top.
Mantels are usually made of wood or stone.
The kind of mantel that’s a shelf above the fireplace
is often a place where people display photos, clocks, and decorative objects.
People who celebrate Christmas often hang stockings from this mantel.
THE NEW DICTIONARY OF CULTURAL LITERACY,
NOTES FOR MANTLE
The mantle is more than two thousand miles thick and accounts for more than three-quarters of the volume of the Earth.
CULTURAL DEFINITIONS FOR MANTLE
mantle
The region of the interior of the Earth
between the core (on its inner surface)
and the crust (on its outer).
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® SCIENCE DICTIONARY
Mantle =
layer of the Earth between the crust andthe core.
It is about 2,900 km (1,798 mi) thick
and consists mainly of magnesium-iron silicate minerals,
such as olivine and pyroxene.
It has an upper, partially molten part, which is about 660 km (409 mi) thick, and a lower, solid part.
The upper mantle is the source of magma and volcanic lava.
The layer of soft tissue that covers the body of a clam, oyster, or other mollusk and secretes the material that forms the shell.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Mantle vs. Mantel
Noun
Keeping mantel and mantle straight is relatively simple.
Mantel in modern English largely does one job:
it refers to the shelf above a fireplace.
You can remember it by thinking of the "el"in both mantel and shelf.
Mantle on the other hand, does many jobs, including a number that are technical or scientific.
Its most common uses are to refer to a literal cloak,
mostly of the kind worn in days of yore ("she drew her mantle tighter"),
and to a figurative cloak symbolizing authority or importance
("taking on the mantle of the museum's directorship").
It also refers to a general covering in literaryuses
like "wet earth covered in a mantle of leaves"
or "a past shrouded in a mantle of secrecy."
And it's also the term for the middle layer of the Earth between the crust and the inner core.
There is, however, a catch to these distinctions:
mantle is sometimes used (especially in American English)
to refer to the shelf above a fireplace as well
—that is, as a synonym of mantel.
This isn't terribly surprising, given the histories of the words.
They both derive from the Latin word mantellum, which refers both to a cloak and to a beam or stone supporting the masonry above a fireplace.
The words came into use in English a couple centuries apart, but were for a time in the past nothing more than spelling variants.
While it's certainly simpler to use mantle in all cases,
mantel is significantly more common as the choice for the shelf,
which means it's the safer choice in those cases.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Usage Notes
Is It 'Mantle' or 'Mantel'?
You can't put on a mantel, but you can put things on a mantle.
What to Know
In modern usage, mantel refers to a shelf above a fireplace and mantle refers to a cloak or covering.
"Mantle" is also used metaphorically when describing the transfer of power such as when one "takes on the mantle."
Some still identify these words as spelling variants, but you are better off separating them.
Mantel and mantle are now usually regarded as distinct from each other,
with mantel used for a shelf above a fireplace,
and mantle used for a cloak or other covering.
However, in the past, they were nothing more than spelling variants
—and, perhaps to the surprise of British writers in particular, that is (in part, anyway) still the case.
Current usage evidence indicates that mantle is sometimes used in place of mantel to refer to the shelf,
and, in American English, it is considered acceptable.
Here are a couple of examples:
Devenski noticed a picture of the Atlanta Braves star on the mantle….
— The Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2017
Instead of hanging stockings on the mantle or drinking eggnog around a fire watching holiday movies, there are other whacky traditions that people in different cultures partake in.
— Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2017
Origins of Mantel and Mantle
English mantle and mantel both derive from the Latin word for "cloak," mantellum, which was adopted into Old English in the form mentel. The word eventually evolved to mantle under the influence of Anglo-French mantel—a derivative of the Latin term that was borrowed into early Middle English. Initially, mantle referred to a loose, sleeveless cloak or a protective garment or blanket. It then specified the long cloaks worn by royalty, dignitaries, and ecclesiastics as symbols of authority or preeminence. By the 17th century, this sense of mantle gained figurative use in contexts describing a transfer of power, with allusion to the allegorical passing of Elijah's mantle to Elisha in the biblical Books of Kings.
… Germany has slowly taken on the mantle of a global leader, especially on issues such as climate change and refugees.
— The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Sept. 2017
With each high draft pick the Lakers have made the past three seasons … the immediate conversation becomes whether they can take on the mantle and responsibility of being the man to replace one of the biggest stars in the history of the league.
— Tim Bontemps, The Washington Post, 18 Dec. 2017
In Latin, mantellum also referred toa beam or stone supporting the masonry above a fireplace. That sense was also adopted into English in the 14th century—again through Anglo-French. Evidence suggests that there was a tendency to use the French spelling mantel in early reference to these structures.
In time, mantle was applied to other non-textile structures:
for example, it referred to a movable shelter for besieging soldiers and a covering designed to be placed over a flame to enhance its glow.
The word's association with solidly-built objects may have stoked the usage of mantle for the shelf.
But bygone are the days of storming castles and gas lamps, leaving us to wonder if use of mantle in reference to a fireplace should now be considered an error.
Although we can say that most writers differentiate the homophones, there is still a significant number who seem unaware of the existence of mantel.
Historically, using mantle as a variant spelling of mantel isn't incorrect, but we can say that it does not conform to prevalent usage.
If you do use it, you probably won't have to take cover but be prepared for some criticism.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Mantle
Mantle also came up during the contretemps between the president and the Democratic leaders,
as Trump announced that he would be willing to "take the mantle" in the event that a government shutdown occurred.
Mantle has an initial meaning of “a loose sleeveless garment worn over other clothes,” which has been in use since the 13th century. More commonly found today (and the one used by Trump) is the sense that we define as "a figurative cloak symbolizing preeminence or authority.”
Mantle and mantel are often confused, and the words do have a degree of semantic overlap.
Mantel most often refers to either the finish around,
or a shelf above, a fireplace.
Mantle may also be used to refer to this fireplace shelf,
although it has a number of additional meanings as well.
If you wish to refer to a fireplace adornment mantel is more common,
and when indicating a cloak (either literal or figurative) the word you want is mantle.
Common Errors In English Usage Dictionary
Though they stem from the same word,
a “mantle” today is usually a cloak,
while the shelf over a fireplace is most oftenspelled “mantel.”
