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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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And just for assonance, the mantelpiece is supported by a lintel (resisting temptation to say "lintelpiece").
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Mickey Mantle! a New York Yankee hero!...hi Faldage! (I just couldn't let the thread go by without mentioning that) 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Got to thinking about this word after the new mantel thread, and on looking it up in Onelook I noticed the only definition in some of the major dictionaries (i.e. AHD) is: chiefly Southern and Eastern; see mantel (Southern and Eastern US I'm assuming). Others describe the ornamental fireplace mantel. Now, I've always used mantel and mantelpiece interchangeably for the fireplace accoutrement, but I was never aware this was a regional dialect as some of the dictionaries seem to desginate (and which, as Bingley, seems to be a favored regionalism in Britain, or some parts of it, as well). But the main reason I grew inquisitive enough to research is that we've also come to use mantelpiece interchangeably with centerpiece to decribe the featured ornament or knic-knac which takes the center spot on the fireplace mantel. For instance, a ceramic Santa in a Sleigh sculpted by my mother when she was young has traditionally come to claim the center spot on the fireplace mantle at Christmastime, so we say that it's our Christmas mantlepiece. I can find no citations for this usage and was wondering if anyone else has ever used mantelpiece in place of centerpiece. Or, sometimes, in finding something striking while antiquing we might say, "That's a real mantlepiece!" The center of the fireplace mantel being the focal point of the room, "mantelpiece" is conferring the object a higher place of honor than as a "centerpiece" on, say, the dining room table. So there is actually a semantical nuance of differentiation here. But not much. ( Edit: I have again deleted the typoed omission of "points out" after "as Bingley" in the above post to preserve, for posterity, the integrity of the ensuing discussion and eatoin's dashing witticism as per Bingley as a favoured regionalism...very favored! )
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I've used mantlepiece that way; matter-of-fact, I think that's the only way I use it. a mantlepiece goes on the mantle... [is Bingley a favored regionalism? or would that be favoured?] 
formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Well! I've been called some things in my time but never that I can recall a favoured regionalism.  Bingley
Bingley
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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In my neck of the woods a mantelpiece is strictly the mantel, its supports and framework, but not something that sits as an ornament on a mantel. There are some very elaborate mantelpieces that I would think included the woodwork all about the shelf--but I honestly have never heard anyone refer to something sitting on a mantel as a mantelpiece.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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no fair, WO'N!Okay, eta, have it your way!  (see my new edit in the above post)
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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hahaha! I love this place!
formerly known as etaoin...
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2002
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WW, usage in my neck of the woods matches that you describe.
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