https://www.proz.com/kudoz/german-to-english/architecture/505913-sockelgeschoss.html

Sockelgeschoss

English translation: semi-basement

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Sockelgeschoss
English translation:semi-basement
Entered by: David Moore (X)

23:30 Aug 22, 2003
German to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Architecture
German term or phrase: Sockelgeschoss
One of the floors in a hospital

I assume it's a below-ground level floor, but what would it be called in US-En?? One website calls it a basement, but that doesn't sound right.
Trudy Peters
United States
Local time: 07:32
semi-basement
Explanation:
I think Kim is half-right (aren't we all...), but I think you'll see what we would call a semi-basement on the link below. The point seems to be that in this case the building is on sloping ground, so that the front is completely exposed, and the back is underground. From most of the sites mentioning "Sockelgeschoss", the term appears to be far commoner in Austria and Switzerland than in Germany; maybe just because of sloping building-land?

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Note added at 8 hrs 30 mins (2003-08-23 08:01:26 GMT)
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\"Lower ground floor\" or \"basement\" would certainly be its designation in lift terms, I think.

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Note added at 8 hrs 33 mins (2003-08-23 08:04:46 GMT)
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Incidentally, Northampton General Hospital has just such a \"semi-basement\" arrangement, having been built on a slope, and the upper level there, where the main entrance is, is on the ground floor (BE) or first floor (AE), and the lower level there is indeed called the basement.

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Note added at 8 hrs 40 mins (2003-08-23 08:11:18 GMT)
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BTW, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary gives a \"Basement\" as \"the lowest floor of any building, usually below ground level\".

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Note added at 11 hrs 38 mins (2003-08-23 11:09:44 GMT)
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Since in the USA the ground floor is known as the first floor, should this perhaps be known as the \"lower first floor\"????....
Selected response from:

David Moore (X)
Local time: 12:32
Grading comment
I opted for "lower ground floor." Thanks to everyone for an interesting discussion!

Trudy
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2semi-basement
David Moore (X)
4 +1English basement
Kim Metzger
4daylight basement
Edward L. Crosby III
3above ground level floor
Johanna Timm, PhD
3subterranian
Christel Saxton
3lower storey
Сергей Лузан


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
above ground level floor


Explanation:
click on the link and you'll find an exhaustive defintion of all those floors/levels


    Reference: http://www.homeplanfinder.com/docs/dynhelp.asp?docname=searc...
Johanna Timm, PhD
Canada
Local time: 04:32
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 32
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3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
English basement


Explanation:
My construction dico says English basement is American English for the German term, but I'm not sure what an English basement is.

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Note added at 12 mins (2003-08-22 23:43:07 GMT)
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Here\'s a photo of a house with an English basement. It seems to be a basement that is only partially underground, thus allowing lots of sunshine to come in and making it suitable to rent as an apartment.

http://www.victorianvilla.com/sims-mitchell/local/architectu...

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Note added at 3 hrs 24 mins (2003-08-23 02:55:00 GMT)
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Raised basement might work.


    Fachw�rterbuch Bauwesen - Gelbrich/Reinwaldt
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 05:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 374

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  T_Herrmann (X): English basement = Parterre
2 hrs
  -> Except a little lower, I think.

neutral  Tom Funke: Just plain basement is what it's called in the hospitals I have worked in or visited (never mind the details).
3 hrs
  -> I agree that sometimes Sockelgeschoss is just a fancier word for Keller, but I think it's possible that it's a kind of walkout basement - one side exposed to sunlight.

neutral  David Moore (X): The Pond comes into play again!!! A basement in England is normally below ground level. Why do you call this an English basement, when IMO it's no such thing?
8 hrs

neutral  John Jory: Note to David: 'English basement' is the US term for a semi-basement
11 hrs

neutral  Edward L. Crosby III: The U.S. term out west here is "daylight basement", i.e. partially above-grade (I'm sitting in one as I write this). See http://www.houseplanguys.com/daylight-basement-house-plans.p...
11 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
subterranian


Explanation:
just an idea

Christel Saxton
Local time: 05:32
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  David Moore (X): Sounds horrible - like a tunnel, or something; but "subterran*E*an.
4 hrs
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
lower storey


Explanation:
could be a version. It's quite neutral construction term. But I'll try to find some more versions. There is a nice Russian term for it but I can't find something adequate for the US English. "lower storey & basement" are noted as AmerEnglish terms. Good luck, Trudy Peters!

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Note added at 2003-08-23 08:36:47 (GMT)
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I\'ve heard \'lower level\' several times in that sense, but not from construction experts. To tell the truth I usually call it \'semi-basement\' like in David\'s suggestion when working.

Сергей Лузан
Russian Federation
Local time: 14:32
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 1
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
semi-basement


Explanation:
I think Kim is half-right (aren't we all...), but I think you'll see what we would call a semi-basement on the link below. The point seems to be that in this case the building is on sloping ground, so that the front is completely exposed, and the back is underground. From most of the sites mentioning "Sockelgeschoss", the term appears to be far commoner in Austria and Switzerland than in Germany; maybe just because of sloping building-land?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs 30 mins (2003-08-23 08:01:26 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"Lower ground floor\" or \"basement\" would certainly be its designation in lift terms, I think.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs 33 mins (2003-08-23 08:04:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Incidentally, Northampton General Hospital has just such a \"semi-basement\" arrangement, having been built on a slope, and the upper level there, where the main entrance is, is on the ground floor (BE) or first floor (AE), and the lower level there is indeed called the basement.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 hrs 40 mins (2003-08-23 08:11:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

BTW, Chambers 21st Century Dictionary gives a \"Basement\" as \"the lowest floor of any building, usually below ground level\".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs 38 mins (2003-08-23 11:09:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Since in the USA the ground floor is known as the first floor, should this perhaps be known as the \"lower first floor\"????....


    Reference: http://www.towerhouse.ch/baukonzept/sockelgeschoss.htm
David Moore (X)
Local time: 12:32
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 142
Grading comment
I opted for "lower ground floor." Thanks to everyone for an interesting discussion!

Trudy

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Armorel Young: I think David's suggestion of lower ground floor is a good one - it's commonly found on lift buttons etc., doesn't have the negative (gloomy) connotations of basement
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Armorel

agree  John Jory: This is the one
2 hrs
  -> Thanks for your comment above, JJ; only thing is, seems there are several terms for it, even in the US!!
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1 day 4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
daylight basement


Explanation:
I agree with Kim's concept, but the term I'm much more familiar with is "daylight basement". A daylight basement is built partially above-grade so it can have windows that look out onto something more esthetically pleasing than subsoil (we have a daylight basement in our new house out here in Washington State).

The windows are placed high in the walls, as most of the height of the rooms is below ground.

See http://www.towerhouse.ch/baukonzept/sockelgeschoss.htm for an illustration of a "Sockelgeschoss" (in this case on sloping land), and http://www.houseplanguys.com/daylight-basement-house-plans.p... for a number of different house plans which feature daylight basements.

Edward L. Crosby III
Local time: 04:32
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tom Funke: Just plain basement is fine. That term can apply to below-ground or above-ground sections, e.g.. where the ambulance entrance may be located. None of the other terms are common in US hospital jargon as I know it (well).
15 hrs
  -> Obrigado, perry
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