For the brits

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by monster

Yes, it is. Although it is often adopted by theater fops wanting to appear more sophisticted, like so many other Brit phrases.

I'd argue that it is known and used everywhere in the English-speaking world. I've seen and used the phrase well before my present spate of community theater. Sixes and sevens refuse to match up until you arrive at the forty-twos. It's trouble, Monst, trouble.

[monster]

It's Flint's first name, I believe. This is America.

lucky escape there.....

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by monster

It's Flint's first name, I believe. This is America.

lucky escape there.....

Embarrassed laughter from Deepest Buckinghamshire.
7.4 on the Richter scale.

[monster]

Hey, Flint's known troll of no reform. Could be his name is really Carruthers.....

[monster]

Argue away. No-one uses it here......

[Pete Zicato]

Second and fourth one are new to me. What's the entry-level floor in England? And public school is where rich kids go? What do you call schools paid for from your taxes?
.
.

[Sundae]

Ground floor is on the ground of course!

Private schools are generally called private schools now.
Very, very expensive and exclusive (and OLD) ones are called public schools.
The rest (such as the one I work in ) are called state schools.
But as it's the vast majority, so doesn't tend to be specified.

Private schools always used to be called public schools (because anyone with money could attend them), but not so much now.
But is someone is labelled a "public school boy" is will mean expensive education and usually family with old money and/ or land to back it up.

[BigV]

[Clodfobble]

Most other countries do the "first floor" = "one up from the ground" thing too... And in 7th grade Spanish class, my teacher tried to make us do the cultural and translational shift at the same time, so that the correct pairing according to her was

piso primero = second floor

This pissed me off to no end, because it was not the correct translation of those words. I'm pretty sure it was one of those cases where I deliberately put the wrong answer on a test because I couldn't bring myself to write what I knew she wanted us to write.

[limey]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Most other countries do the "first floor" = "one up from the ground" thing too... And in 7th grade Spanish class, my teacher tried to make us do the cultural and translational shift at the same time, so that the correct pairing according to her was

piso primero = second floor

This pissed me off to no end, because it was not the correct translation of those words. I'm pretty sure it was one of those cases where I deliberately put the wrong answer on a test because I couldn't bring myself to write what I knew she wanted us to write.

[translator-nerd mode]
I beg to differ:
piso = floor (presumably)
primero = first
piso primero = second floor
This is why machine translation does not work: context is everything and this is the most succinct example of that I have ever seen! Thank you Clod!
[/translator-nerd mode]

[infinite monkey]

Luka would have been so confused.

[monster]

I'm with limey -even though i'm not a professional translator. Well only from British to American.

[Clodfobble]

*shrug* I'm one of those people who wants cultural notes given separately by the translator. I'm against the idea of, for example, "translating" British works of literature on the assumption that American readers are too stupid to learn that "tea" sometimes means "lunch." I want to read what was written, not what would have been written if the writer were from my culture.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

"tea" sometimes means "lunch."

Sorry, just noticed this.
Tea might be used for the final large meal of the day.
It was in my family, until we learned to call it dinner. Certainly in my house it never meant lunch and I think that is general.

BUT it's a tricky term.

High Tea is the main evening meal. I think! Nanny and Grandad used the term for sandwiches, cakes, eggs, cold meat and pickles. Eaten on a Sunday when the man of the house was home - slightly earlier than work would usually permit him to eat.

Afternoon Tea is tiny sandwiches and some cakes, usually followed later by dinner or a substantial supper.

Cream Tea is supposed to be an afternoon snack, but it can spiral out of control. Scones, butter, cream, jam, and hot tea in a cup. Repeat until replete.

Tea - dinner.

Complicated?
Hah. Think of all the terms you* have for fizzy drinks!

* Americans

[Lamplighter]

@Clod, that "tea" thing drove me nuts on my trip to New Zealand.

Also, that secret message that Kiwi's have when it's time to send the evening company on their way.
"Shall we have tea or coffee? "

My response was "coffee, please".... followed by very startled looks from my hosts.