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| '''Floor''' (from |
'''Floor''' (from Old English for, a word common to many Teutonic languages, cf. Dutch ''floer'', and German ''Flur'', a field, in the feminine, and a floor, masculine), generally the lower horizontal surface of a ], but specially employed for one covered with ] or ]. The various levels of rooms in a ] are designated as "ground-floor", "first-floor", "mezzanine-floor", etc. | ||
| A confusion arises between ] and ] : in American English the floor at the ground level is the ''first floor'', and the floor above is the ''second floor''; whereas in British English, the floor at the ground level is the ''ground floor'' and the floor above is the ''first floor''. | A confusion arises between ] and ] : in American English the floor at the ground level is the ''first floor'', and the floor above is the ''second floor''; whereas in British English, the floor at the ground level is the ''ground floor'' and the floor above is the ''first floor''. | ||
| The principal floor is the storey which contains the chief apartments whether on the ground- or |
The principal floor is the storey which contains the chief apartments whether on the ground-floor or the floor above; in ] they are always on the latter and known as the ''piano nobile''. The storey below the ground-floor is called the "basement-floor", even if only a little below the level of the pavement outside; the storey in a ] is known as the "attic-floor". The expressions one pair, two pair, etc., apply to the storeys above the first flight of stairs from the ground (see also ]). | ||
| Floors in buildings are often renamed or renumbered depending on the ]s of the local population. In much of the European world, for example, the number 13 is considered unlucky, so the floor is renumbered to '12A' or '12B'. In Chinese culture, 4 is considered unlucky, so 4 would be renamed 3A or 3B, and further up the building, the floors would be numbered 12, 13, 13A, 15. Interestingly, this results in two floors numbered 13, whereas Europeans would prefer none! | Floors in buildings are often renamed or renumbered depending on the ]s of the local population. In much of the European world, for example, the number 13 is considered unlucky (]), so the floor is renumbered to '12A' or '12B'. In Chinese culture, 4 is considered unlucky, so 4 would be renamed 3A or 3B, and further up the building, the floors would be numbered 12, 13, 13A, 15. Interestingly, this results in two floors numbered 13, whereas Europeans would prefer none! | ||
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Revision as of 17:37, 21 October 2002
Floor (from Old English for, a word common to many Teutonic languages, cf. Dutch floer, and German Flur, a field, in the feminine, and a floor, masculine), generally the lower horizontal surface of a room, but specially employed for one covered with boarding or parquetry. The various levels of rooms in a house are designated as "ground-floor", "first-floor", "mezzanine-floor", etc.
A confusion arises between American English and British English : in American English the floor at the ground level is the first floor, and the floor above is the second floor; whereas in British English, the floor at the ground level is the ground floor and the floor above is the first floor.
The principal floor is the storey which contains the chief apartments whether on the ground-floor or the floor above; in Italy they are always on the latter and known as the piano nobile. The storey below the ground-floor is called the "basement-floor", even if only a little below the level of the pavement outside; the storey in a roof is known as the "attic-floor". The expressions one pair, two pair, etc., apply to the storeys above the first flight of stairs from the ground (see also carpentry).
Floors in buildings are often renamed or renumbered depending on the superstitions of the local population. In much of the European world, for example, the number 13 is considered unlucky (triskaidekaphobia), so the floor is renumbered to '12A' or '12B'. In Chinese culture, 4 is considered unlucky, so 4 would be renamed 3A or 3B, and further up the building, the floors would be numbered 12, 13, 13A, 15. Interestingly, this results in two floors numbered 13, whereas Europeans would prefer none!
Partly taken from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica