Do Canadians call the ground floor of buildings 'the first floor' like the Americans?

Braznor

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2005
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The Americans (unlike the British) call the ground floor of their buildings as the first. Do the Canadians follow this practice too or do they follow the British system?

Please this is very important for a story I'm writing. The mods locked the first question I asked becaus it was illegal.

 
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Scouzer

Lifer
Jun 3, 2001
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On elevators it's marked M most of the time, for Main Floor.

I've heard both references though. Main Floor is probably more common.
 

Braznor

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2005
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Originally posted by: Scouzer
On elevators it's marked M most of the time, for Main Floor.

I've heard both references though. Main Floor is probably more common.

So that system is still followed in Canada and does not at all in the U.S?

Also how seriously is that system followed in Britain?
 

Braznor

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2005
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Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I've seen it done both ways.

Context, please?

- M4H

I'am writing a story. This information is quite relevant to it.
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,085
5,618
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Originally posted by: Braznor
Originally posted by: Scouzer
On elevators it's marked M most of the time, for Main Floor.

I've heard both references though. Main Floor is probably more common.

So that system is still followed in Canada and does not at all in the U.S?

Also how seriously is that system followed in Britain?

To deviate from the norm in Britain is a capitol offense! :eek: :p
 

CraigRT

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
31,440
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I dont think theres any standard here. I see M sometimes, G sometimes, and 1 sometimes... Maybe it depends on who built the building, elevator, etc.
 
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Jan 31, 2002
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Originally posted by: Braznor
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I've seen it done both ways.

Context, please?

- M4H

I'am writing a story. This information is quite relevant to it.

Context in the story please. ;)

Is someone speaking, is this in an elevator or staircase (which would probably call it Main floor, or Lobby) ... write the sentence out here. :p

- M4H
 

Braznor

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2005
4,497
349
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Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Originally posted by: Braznor
Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
I've seen it done both ways.

Context, please?

- M4H

I'am writing a story. This information is quite relevant to it.

Context in the story please. ;)

Is someone speaking, is this in an elevator or staircase (which would probably call it Main floor, or Lobby) ... write the sentence out here. :p

- M4H

The guy(actually the protagonist), a Britisher gets his location wrong by confusing the British system with the American system. That mistake plays a very important role in the story.
 

meltdown75

Lifer
Nov 17, 2004
37,558
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I say "first floor" but I doubt there is a consensus on anything in this country, especially when it comes to language.
 

2Xtreme21

Diamond Member
Jun 13, 2004
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Usually the "first floor" (aka the one that has a door that leads to the outside) is marked with a star in an elevator here in the US. Although I've seen everything from 1 to L to M to G, and it's very confusing.
 

Braznor

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 2005
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349
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Originally posted by: 2Xtreme21
Usually the "first floor" (aka the one that has a door that leads to the outside) is marked with a star in an elevator here in the US. Although I've seen everything from 1 to L to M to G, and it's very confusing.

Good, all the better for the plausibility.
 
Jan 31, 2002
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Originally posted by: Braznor
The guy(actually the protagonist), a Britisher gets his location wrong by confusing the British system with the American system. That mistake plays a very important role in the story.

Not likely to happen. There's not usually a "ground" and a "first" floor.

Go with whatever makes it sound better or works with the story - so in this case, whatever makes the protagonist wrong. :p

Originally posted by: Braznor
By the way, here was my previous thread which got locked!

So how much would a professional hit cost in New York?


:laugh:

Like they said, you can probably get an addict to do it for a grand or two, an amateur for 3-5, and a pro probably 10. Depends on how much information you can give about where/when/how the mark moves about, and what it is.

Whack an ex-SEAL in a relatively secure location? Expensive, and it probably won't be easy to make it look like an accident/mugging gone bad.

Bump off a rent-a-cop who drives a beater to work and takes a stroll through a dark parking lot to get there? Easy. "Whoops, your brakes failed."

- M4H
 

yllus

Elite Member & Lifer
Aug 20, 2000
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Ground = Lobby = 1st floor in every building I've ever been to in this country.
 
Jun 14, 2003
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most elevators here are

G - 1 - 2 - 3 ......

im british

i prefer to call it the first floor though since it is the first floor you come to when entering a building.
 

SoulAssassin

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2001
6,135
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Originally posted by: Braznor

The guy(actually the protagonist), a Britisher gets his location wrong by confusing the British system with the American system. That mistake plays a very important role in the story.

Britisher? Is that what people from Britain are really called?

 

Majesty

Senior member
Nov 22, 1999
321
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I live in Quebec City and we use both. Where I work, the first floor is called "First Floor". In other buildings, the first floor is often called "RC" (Main Floor or Rez de Chausé, in french).

Edit: Rez de Chaussé is pronounced: Ray the chose*-say

*past of choose.
 

SoulAssassin

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2001
6,135
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Originally posted by: Kevin1211
Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
Originally posted by: Braznor

The guy(actually the protagonist), a Britisher gets his location wrong by confusing the British system with the American system. That mistake plays a very important role in the story.

Britisher? Is that what people from Britain are really called?

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=Britisher+

Well whaddya know....learn something new everyday....never really thought about it before.