Are you saying that this definition (number 1, I presume) allows for outdoor spaces to be included in the term "workshop"?
I don't think I agree, as this shifts things to hinging on the definition of "establishment", which I don't think is meant/understood to be inclusive of outdoor spaces.
Yes, in American English, any space that's used for crafting/trade/manufacture in an outdoor space can still be considered a "workshop." So a phrase like, "a small workshop in the yard" would make perfect sense:
Doesn't necessarily even need a roof, though things like that will often have a pavilion, awning, or tent over them. Country living in the States, especially from the 17th century onward. Lumber yards, forges, work tables used to fix farming equipment, glass blowing, etc. They're still called "workshops."
It sounds like you're saying that given a choice between:
- wording A that 90% of english speakers would understand easily, but isn't proper english.
- wording B that only 50% of english speakers would understand, but has the blessing of the English language police
Not really. Little distinctions like this are normally understandable between people that speak a form of English natively. For example, the expression "truck". It's known around the world that a truck is a large vehicle, usually a 4x4 with a bed used for hauling. However, the British term for that is "lorry," which doesn't even exist in modern American English, and "truck" would mean something you attach to a lorry, which in American English would be a "trailer."
It's a knot, and there are thousands of examples of such things. But whether I say "truck, lorry, or trailer" in a given context, pretty much any native English Speaker would be able to figure out immediately what is meant based on the context of the communication. It's usually when we get into areas/regions where English is not the native language that confusion or misinterpretation might result.
I know a common confusion point between American/British that I've seen personally numerous times is "pissed." The literal definition is the past-tense, vulgar form of "to urinate" in both American and British English, but there's a further vulgar definition in American which means "extremely upset" -- "Oh, he's completely pissed!" -- but in British, a second vulgar form means "extremely drunk" -- "Oh, he's completely pissed!" Hence, those statements would probably be translated to clarify what the intent is between American or British audiences based upon the intended context: angry or drunk?
^ That would probably be worth of consideration for a given English translation.
For the "workshop" thing, I'm not sure what consideration was made. Probably none, as I wouldn't view that as anything that needs to be clarified. I'd be confident that anyone from America, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc. (native English speakers) would immediately realize "workshop" = tools, work tables, etc. Whether it's inside or outside would be moot.
If I have a buddy from England come over to the US, and they ask, "Do you have a tool bench?" to which I answer, "Yeah, the workshop's in the back yard," they won't walk out the door and balk to a stop in confusion when they see the workshop is just an open-air establishment. I'm not sure if British English has unique terms for it: "Workspace?" "Work yard?" Don't really know, but I doubt it would ever cause any significant confusion. Just a person here or there that might find it odd, like any word.
