benhall.1 wrote:Do you have "curbstones"?
We do indeed, but the term has become somewhat relict and quaint, almost more literary than day-to-day functional. One may find old, private, or specialty installations made of stone, but these are exceptions, and I suspect this is especially so in the Midwest. When asking questions about the US, always remember that just as in the UK, what I say may not apply elsewhere; it only reflects my experience, which includes only a little bit outside my own region. But in general, it's safe to say that in public works (which is by far the majority case), modern curbing (kerbing) in the US is commonly made of concrete, and has been since at least the 1960s, and probably much earlier. There are many variations, but rather than being laid from modular sectional pieces anymore (being made of concrete, we wouldn't call them stones, but sections; if the industry calls them "stones" I am unaware of it), curbing is nowadays usually an integral curb-and-gutter system extruded out of fresh concrete by machine, on-site, in one continuous go for the length of it, and any sectioning is introduced during the process for the sake of weather expansion and contraction. Here is an example typical of my locale:
Here's a pic illustrating how continuous US curbing can be:
This was definitely laid from fresh concrete, extruded by machine on-site. You can see an expansion gap in the foreground. It is highly unlikely to be from my locale; curbing in my neck of the woods usually has the rounded profile you see in the first pic.
Here's an example of the process:
As you can see, its profile is somewhere between the first two.
I don't know about British usage, but in the States "curbstone" would have no logical application in this instance. The method shown is so much the norm in public works that the word has lost most of its currency, except where it applies to actual stone as such. If it
is used in the States to describe the above in any way, it would be a regionalism that I'm unfamiliar with.
While this type of curbing is by no means universal in the US, calling it highly pervasive would not be off the mark. The general design and method are very widespread and fairly standardized, and have been for quite some time. First comes the curbing extrusion; when it sets, then the road itself is laid so that it will be flush with upper edge of the curb's apron, the slight incline of which functions as a gutter for channeling water to drains positioned along the way (such as you see in the 1st pic). To shed water toward the gutters, up-to-date roads in good repair will be imperceptibly convex in cross section (an idea first implemented by the Romans, BTW; I expect British engineers would design roads this way, too). In my locale we've occasionally preserved brick or stone paving on public streets for historical reasons, but if the curbing is out of date, that is going to be replaced every time with the modern integral curb-and-gutter form you see above, because rains here can be long and heavy, so good drainage outweighs charm alone. But fortunately, the design lends a note of well-dressed formality to the finished look. Both the city and state are very keen to regulate these things where they can. Other communities may be more relaxed about it.
benhall.1 wrote:Nanohedron wrote:We're more likely to say "curbing material" when referring to the makeup itself.
Now that really jars.
That's a pretty strong reaction to the innocuous. Yes, it's non-specific, but it's supposed to be. If the material is known, then I'm sure people would say "concrete" or "stone", but even so, "material" still wouldn't be unlikely, depending on what was being said.
benhall.1 wrote:(It's making me feel slightly nauseous just seeing that.
)
But why? Whether you spell it "curb" or "kerb", it - guess what? -
curbs. I think that makes a very good case in favor of the North American spelling.
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