RE: Words, Words, Words

--- On Wed, 7/11/12, lady bebba <ladybebba@hotmail.com> wrote:

  That's interesting, Ellen. I don't think I have heard anyone refer to the ground as the floor (outside). Is it possible its a 'southern' English thing?
***

Interestingly, I found this -- on an American website.
http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2009/04/is-it-the-floor-or-the-ground.html

Oxford says it's informal English in Britain. noun

" 1 the lower surface of a room, on which one may walk: a wooden floor
the bottom of the sea, a cave, or an area of land: the ocean floor the forest floor
informal the ground: the best way to play is to pass the ball on the floor
a minimum level of prices or wages: share prices have gone through the floor"

And here's a discussion of it on a blog -- American woman with British husband. She's noted it being used in London and thinks it has to do with cricket.
http://separatedbyacommonlanguage.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/floor.html
The comments are interesting -- with some Americans saying that they use 'floor' for 'ground' (outside), some Brits saying they hear it or say it all the time (north and south) etc.

I wonder if David Crystal has researched it. :)

Ellen