All spiral staircases have a single guardrail. That’s why they aren’t double helix staircases.

madaxe_again 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

We call them “spiral staircases” yet rarely do they actually contain a single spiral - but they do have a helix. I guess “helical staircase” was just too much for people to care about as the term embedded in the 1600s. Previously they’d been winding stairs, screw stairs, and earlier yet just a “vice”, so common were they. Weird how language adapts to what’s easy rather than what’s correct.

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layer8 2 days ago | parent | next [-]

A helix counts as a type of spiral: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spirals

It also looks like a spiral when looking up or down.

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nkrisc 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> Weird how language adapts to what’s easy rather than what’s correct.

It’s not weird at all, it’s quite sensible. The purpose of language between people is not to produce correct sounds, it’s to facilitate some other activity or intent, so people will tend towards whatever manner of language makes achieving their goals the easiest.

It’s the same reason desire paths form: it’s less effort.

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cheschire 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

If some language conveys meaning successfully, it ultimately doesn’t matter what the rules are.

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technothrasher 2 days ago | parent [-]

The old prescriptive vs descriptive linguistic battle rears its head once again.

	▲	nkrisc 2 days ago \| parent [-]
		The only languages that don't change are ones that no one uses anymore.

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nottorp 2 days ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> with no safety barriers

A guardrail isn't a safety barrier? The photos of the staircase don't look like star wars walkways to me at all.

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MithrilTuxedo 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Ahhh.... I couldn't figure out why they said that. I forgot the Statue of Liberty had double-helix staircases.