"Rørleggeren var håndverker."
Translation:The plumber was a tradesman.
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English is not my native language. What is a tradesman? A man who sells things?
it has different meanings in American and British English. Check for example: http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/tradesman
Thanks, now I understand. So do you know if in Norwegian it can have all of those meanings and we go there by context?
as far as I know "håndverker" in Norwegian is closer to the American English meaning; someone who makes their living doing things with their hands
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A håndverker is a hand-worker, so the more logical meaning of tradesman (i.e. somebody who trades) doesn't fit in my opinion.
The above linked definition is completely wrong, a tradesman in UK English is a carpenter/plumber/floorlayer/electrician etc. This is very common usage and I've never heard any other way of using this word!!
I think of a tradesman as one who practices a trade; I don't know why we distinguish between trades and professions. A doctor was surprised when he got his plumbing bill. "I don't make that much and I'm a brain surgeon!" "Yeah, I didn't make that much when I was a brain surgeon either."
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Well, the other meaning is common in UK English too. I can't believe how could you not encounter a "tradesman" as someone involved in trade. That's pretty obvious too..
Also your word against the oxford dictionary is not very believable, sorry.