steeples or staples

Southern Ray · May 18, 2012

since we've been recently discussing terminology and ways of saying things I have another one.
Fence staples are staples, but I've heard many a farmer called them steeples. They do look like steeples. I too have called them both steeples and staples.

Ozlander · May 18, 2012

You can call them what you want, but they are still staples.

in-too-deep · May 18, 2012

Never heard steeples. They go on churches on top of the peeples.

tjdub · May 18, 2012

I've called them LOTS of different names but, never "steeples". I would tell you some of the names I've called them, but I'm afraid that would get me banned from this forum.

Texasmark1 · May 18, 2012

I have fun too using words like havin rather than having and gonna rather than going to and all that fun stuff. I guess if you are going to answer a post with a professional answer you need to sound like a professional, not a hick out of the back woods...........but geez, that would spoil all the fun.

And yes steeples are atop buildings and the fluid pressure systems that tractors and other equipment use to do work is via HYDRAULICS, NOT HYDROLICS..................I don't put this into the category of fun, just an annoyance and when I see a title as such, I just move on. My choice, my potential assistance, or lack thereof.

Have a safe Memorial Day and I am a Viet Nam Era Vet, 9 years in USAF and proud to serve my country......but have a problem with politicians that put us in harms way for political gain.....one reason I got out before my second assignment to SEA came into being.

My 2c,
Mark

Revredneck · May 18, 2012

My Dad always called the fencing fasteners 'steeples.' But 'staples' were always delivered by way of a stapler or staple gun. That was in KY.
Good Luck and God Bless

thurlow · May 18, 2012

Of course they're staples, but in my part of the world, they've always been called steeples. Never bought any but the longest available (been a while, either 1 and 3-quarter or 2 inch.)

old · May 18, 2012

Very simple. A Steeple goes on top of a church and hold the bell to call for Sunday meetings/service. A staple is a thing that holds thing together like a fence or a booklet or a couple pages of paper. If you live in the north but if you live down south people have yet to learn to speak LOL. By the way I was born in Alabama but have lived all over the place north south east and a good ways west

Dblair · May 18, 2012

when you go to buy them are they steeples or staples ? if they're steeples do the store personal look at you funny or do you have to draw them a picture ?

magpiene · May 18, 2012

steeples or staples I was taught they are steeples. still are, always will be. for me in central Ne.

WJD · May 18, 2012

We always called them steeples when I was growing up and the hardware store where purchased them (from a bulk bin) called them steeples too. Today you just go to a big box store and buy them in one or maybe five pound boxes.
Staples is correct as per Webster. No telling what they call them in England.

We pronounce solder wrong too. The British pronounce the letter L in the word solder. I had to agree they were correct. My colleagues from over there did not know what I was talking about when we I first mentioned soldering (less the L) connections.

Leroy · May 18, 2012

I believe that staples comes from the part of the country with english ansestory the same as catsup and tyres. Steeples and ketchup and tires comes from the areas that were german speeking ansestories. In other words derived from different languages dependant on where you were from.

Goose · May 18, 2012

Finally, someone on this board admitted to having been a Zoomie.

Andy In IL · May 18, 2012

here in so Il is steeples for fence post and barb wire. staples comes out of a gun foe fasting paper!

Mike (WA) · May 18, 2012

Always interesting to see the regional variations on pronunciation. Here in the west, I have never heard the fencing fasteners called "steeples"- but appears to be the case in several other areas.

VicS · May 18, 2012

I agree, I live in South Eastern Il and it is steeples for the fence and staples for paper, or corn,beans,taters, and meat. Vic

Pair-a-dice farm · May 18, 2012

I always called them steeples and that's what they call them at the coop. Staples are thought to be an urban term around here.

KIP in MX · May 19, 2012

Just like we used to call the ditches along roads "bar ditches". I"m sure that must be a southwest term for borrow ditch. My wife always laughs when I say bar ditch.
I imagine the steeple term is a regional thing.

Richard from SE AZ · May 19, 2012

Most interesting!! I have never heard them called steeples. Bought alot and hammered alot too.

Buckeye · May 19, 2012

We call them steeples here. Bought some from a local lumber yard several years ago and they were marked "Farmer Nails".

Tech 7 · May 19, 2012

Dad always called them steeples so that why I do as well....nother one of those things you remember from an early age. BTW Staple is a term also used when describing the quality of a fresh shorn fleece, Bob

Texasmark1 · May 19, 2012

Haaaaaa. First time I heard it referred to like that. Actually the education I started in there and continued later, made me what and where I am today. Was a very wise decision, and getting out when I did was another wise decision. Gave them 9 years.

Mark

Texasmark1 · May 19, 2012

We called them bar ditches in S. TX.

Sam#3 · May 19, 2012

When I moved to Colorado years ago people were always using the term 'borrow pit.' I caught on that they were talking about the road ditch. Some years later I saw the term barrow being used as to loan something. So, off to the dictionary I go. I found that barrow is a pile of earth or stone to bury the dead. Borrow pit is the source or earth to fill a roadbed, hence, the ditch becomes a 'borrow pit.'
A steeple is a church tower. A staple is a 'U' shaped fastener.
The point I'm working around to is that over the years words have becomes mispronounced and misused and local interpretations made so we may all speak our own dialect of the common language.
Thank you for your thyme and patients.(sic)

Tim Barnes · May 19, 2012

I call 'em steeples, always have. I'm also a former Zoomie and damn proud of it. Is there anyone else on this forum that wore the blue uniform?

Texasmark1 · May 20, 2012

When I was in tech school, I had a DI TSgt from W. TX. He really had a drawl. Will never forget his pronunciation of a pencil. He referred to them as palnsils with a long A (aaaa, not ah).

Now comes the fun part and I don't remember how this came about but "anyhew" he was a ballroom dance instructor on the side.

My girlfriend at the time and later wife of 48 years thought the Cha-Cha was a hot dance that anybody who was anybody ought to know how to do.

I paid my DI to teach me the cha cha....had a little 45 rpm player and lessons were at the Airman't club ballroom.

So here is the guy calling out "hup tuh tree for" on the one hand and swing me around on the dance floor on the other. Neither one of thought anything of it at the time. Both were two separate events and handled professionally in both instances.

So, the next time I was home on leave, I was ready to Cha-cha with her and she was off that and into the Rumba......Grrrrrrrrrr

Mark

steeples or staples

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