Floor versus Ground - it's driving me mad!!

[FruBayerischOla]

For me, the word 'floor' indicates somewhere inside a building (OK, forget a 'valley floor' for the moment!) and the word 'ground' indicates somewhere outside a building.

So if someone finds something on 'the floor', I expect that they're referring to somewhere inside their house/inside a shop/office etc.

But it appears that many people now think that 'the floor' can indicate on the pavement/road/in the park etc, whereas I'd use the word 'ground' in those scenarios.

Is anyone else in agreement with me - or am I going to be flamed for not keeping up with modern usage?!

[AgentProvocateur]

No, you're right. Everyone else is wrong. 😉

[FruBayerischOla]

There've been a number of threads over the last couple of years where the word 'floor' has been used instead of 'ground'. It drives me a bit bonkers!

I know language moves on/changes, but it doesn't make sense - and I want to scream

[DadDadDad]

I'm a bit baffled by the "driving me mad" / "makes me scream" reaction. Does it really affect your ability to communicate with others that badly?

What you describe does violate the (historic) dictionary distinction, but surely you can accept it has some sense to it? Presumably, our brains tend to just categorise it as "the surface under our feet", and it's a bit of an effort in the flow of conversation to pick the right word. Many times in my life I've corrected myself having said "floor" when I meant "ground" and vice versa.

It would be interesting to know if other languages make this distinction. (If not, that suggests, we are quite capable of understanding what is referred to in the context).

[KoalaD]

I agree with you. It annoys me.

[SleepingInYourFlowerbed]

Hmm, I'd probably say floor for pavement and road as it's not the ground to me. Ground is the soil, grass, vegetation, rock - naturally occurring basically. Floor is man-made. But pretty sure that's just me making stuff up!

[KoalaD]

Floor is only something with a ceiling over it.

[DadDadDad]

Floor is only something with a ceiling over it.

Unless it's the sea floor, of course.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Ground is earth to me too.

[DadDadDad]

Sleeping - that's interesting. I assumed that the distinction was outside = ground, inside = floor, but you are suggesting natural = ground, man-made=floor.

[DadDadDad]

DameDiazepam - do you literally mean earth as in soil? So, if you were standing on a large rocky outcrop, would you call that ground?

[DadDadDad]

By the way, I'm not trying to be snarky, I find it genuinely fascinating the way we make these category distinctions, which can be more nuanced than we initially think.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I would say ground. I think

Anything earthy/natural is ground.

[RatRolyPoly]

I had this argument only the other day; floor to me is man-made, not indoor. Roads are floor to me. This came up in the context of choosing "flooring" for a section of garden.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Oh dear,except you'd say the floor of a cave.

[Eolian]

Not sure if YABU. According to a quick google, the Old English and Germanic word meant (internal)floor, ground, bottom of sea/lake/cave, and even meadow. However, it seems as though it generally means the bottom, horizontal layer of a specific place, rather than the surface of the earth in general (i.e. the ground).

[KoalaD]

natural = ground, man-made=floor.

Nah. If I drop something on my paved outdoor area, or on the Tarmac footpath, I'd say ground. Not floor.

[KickAssAngel]

I'm with OP.

Ground = outside. Floor = inside (except things like valley/sea floor, but we also use bed for those, so that's a whole other thing).

[Eolian]

Sorry, meant to say - it's the 'specific place' bit that's seemingly relevant, not the question of whether it's indoors or outdoors (hence sea floor, valley floor etc).

[KoalaD]

Roads are floor to me.

Nooooo. Really?! No.

it seems as though it generally means the bottom, horizontal layer of a specific place, rather than the surface of the earth in general (i.e. the ground).

This. This makes sense, IMO.

[PrincessLuna]

Totally agree with you. When I google the definition I get “the lower surface of a room, on which one may walk”.

Although it also says it can mean bottom as in the bottom surface of the sea, a forest, a cave etc

[NoCureForLove]

What do you make of "ground floor" then. Does you head hurt?!

[DadDadDad]

So, if I built a barn over a patch of ground and didn't put any covering on the earth beneath my feet, then that would be both the ground and the floor...

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

No one likes a smart arse Dad

[Eolian]

So, if I built a barn over a patch of ground and didn't put any covering on the earth beneath my feet, then that would be both the ground and the floor

Yes. Precisely . Full marks for smartarsery.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I'm with the OP - floors are indoors, ground is outdoors. I can't explain valley floors, though.