Results 1 to 9 of 9
Like Tree3Likes
  • 1 Post By JohnParis
  • 1 Post By SoothingDave
  • 1 Post By Barb_D

Thread: Senate floor

  1. #1
    Silverobama is offline Senior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Chinese
      • Home Country:
      • China
      • Current Location:
      • China
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    648

    Default Senate floor

    Hi,

    What does "Senate floor" mean in this sentence?

    His behavior on the Senate floor exposed him to ridicule.

    Thanks a lot

  2. #2
    JohnParis's Avatar
    JohnParis is offline Senior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Retired Academic
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • France
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    776
    Teacher

    Default Re: Senate floor

    His behavior while he was speaking inside of the United States Senate in Washington D.C.
    The Senate floor refers to the interior of the chamber of the United States Senate.
    John
    bhaisahab likes this.

  3. #3
    bhaisahab's Avatar
    bhaisahab is offline Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • English Teacher
      • Native Language:
      • British English
      • Home Country:
      • England
      • Current Location:
      • England
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Posts
    16,156
    Teacher

    Default Re: Senate floor

    Quote Originally Posted by Silverobama View Post
    Hi,

    What does "Senate floor" mean in this sentence?

    His behaviour on the Senate floor exposed him to ridicule.

    Thanks a lot
    I would take it to mean his behaviour while speaking in the senate. In Britain, when a politician speaks or asks a question in parliament, s/he stands on the floor of the house.

  4. #4
    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Other
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    4,706

    Default Re: Senate floor

    You do "have the floor" when you are the recognized speaker at the moment, but I believe that "on the floor" here could refer to any person's behavior while in the chamber, not just the person who "has the floor."
    JohnParis likes this.

  5. #5
    JohnParis's Avatar
    JohnParis is offline Senior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Retired Academic
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • France
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    776
    Teacher

    Default Re: Senate floor

    I think that Dave has found the exact meaning.
    "He" may not have been speaking, and he may not have even been in the United States Senate. "He" could have been in one of those fistfights we see occasionally in Senate's of other countries. His behavior was the cause of ridicule and he could have been anywhere from Maine to Manila. Thanks Dave.

  6. #6
    SoothingDave is offline Key Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Other
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Posts
    4,706

    Default Re: Senate floor

    No, I think it refers to his behavior while physically inside the Senate chamber. It may have been an outburst while another was speaking, or something like that.

  7. #7
    JohnParis's Avatar
    JohnParis is offline Senior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Retired Academic
      • Native Language:
      • English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • France
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    776
    Teacher

    Default Re: Senate floor

    Naturally, that's what I meant. He was inside some Senate chamber somewhere, but it may not have been the US Senate. It could have been the Maine Senate or the Senate of the Philippines.
    "He" could have been in one of those fistfights we see occasionally in Senate's of other countries." Sorry if I was confusing.

  8. #8
    Barb_D's Avatar
    Barb_D is offline Moderator
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Other
      • Native Language:
      • American English
      • Home Country:
      • United States
      • Current Location:
      • United States
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Posts
    11,625

    Default Re: Senate floor

    As former resident of Maine, I want to go on record saying that OUR state senate does NOT resort to fisticuffs in the capitol building!

    Well, not usually.
    JohnParis likes this.
    I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

  9. #9
    Silverobama is offline Senior Member
    • Member Info
      • Member Type:
      • Student or Learner
      • Native Language:
      • Chinese
      • Home Country:
      • China
      • Current Location:
      • China
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Posts
    648
    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: Senate floor

    Well, this is the source where I got the sentence and notice that it is American English of the Cambridge.dictionary.com.

    Thanks a lot

    expose v - definition in American English Dictionary - Cambridge Dictionary Online

Similar Threads

  1. congress vs senate
    By ostap77 in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 29-Sep-2011, 12:17
  2. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 28-Aug-2007, 23:00
  3. off the floor
    By user_gary in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 04-Aug-2007, 12:06
  4. up onto the floor
    By user_gary in forum Ask a Teacher
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 03-Aug-2007, 20:50

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0