Posted by Alan Hakim on August 13, 2007 at 18:10:40 from 80.189.151.46 user awhakim.
In Reply to: Re: Beckfoot-other rooms posted by Jock on August 13, 2007 at 15:43:14:
Ed,
The 'garden' in UK is primarily what is called the yard in US, though vegetables can be grown in it as well as flowers. A grass lawn is often the main feature of an English garden.
The 'yard' in UK is an open space adjoining the house, quite often paved, but definitely not for growing plants. In older houses, it would have been the place where you mounted the horse when you were going out. So in PP, when they went to look at the pigeon loft in the stable yard, they were in an extension of the house, not in the garden.
And of course, all British houses with a first floor (i.e. an upstairs) have a 'landing' which is what you called the 'upstairs hall of the second floor'. Oh the horrors of a common language!
As a complete aside on first floors, there is a scene in the film Some Like It Hot where we are looking at the lift (elevator) in the foyer (lobby) of the hotel. A clock-face indicator shows which floor the lift is at, and as we watch, the pointer stops at '1' - and the doors open. Every time I am taken by surprise; still one floor to go ......