Talk:Floor

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While I agree that the number 4 is considered unlucky by most Chinese people, it is interesting to note that if you type in the words "Chinese 14th floor" into a Google search, you get some interesting results. The first result of such a search at the present moment is a link to a Hong Kong government website on the Companies Registry and in fact directs you the 14th floor of a building if you wish to incorporate or register a company.

Also, perhaps the choice to number floors with or without a "ground floor" is more a result of culture than language, and the use of the distinction between "American English and British English" suggests the latter. For example, Singapore students are taught British English and even have to sit British 'O'-levels and 'A'-levels, yet anyone who has spent some time in Singapore can tell you that the culture has strong American influence. It is no suprise therefore that Singapore adopts the American style of naming floors -- omitting the "ground floor".

[edit] Brittanica

Should information in Wikipedia be stolen from Brittanica? Oven Fresh 16:19, 13 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Why do you say "stolen"? I don't think credited use of an out of copyright source is usually described as theft. Notinasnaid 09:55, 14 Nov 2004 (UTC)

Information must be stolen, blatantly and without shame, from everywhere. That is the principle of academic freedom. Text must not be copied, that is the principle of copyright. It is not difficult to reconcile the two principles. That is academia, and by extension, Wikipedia. --Tony Sidaway|Talk 02:03, 2 Jan 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Superstition

I removed this bit and I'll explain why.

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, or even directly to 14.

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!

Well what gets me wondering about this is that I am European, have been for nearly fifty years, and I know of no buildings missing a thirteenth floor, in fact I find the idea rather suspect, given European phlegmatism.

And also (wincing a little) because I heard the same story. And when I heard it, it was about American buildings missing a floor 13...

<shrug>