0
Catttt Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary
tourner un parcours
The highlighted sentence means "the act of changing words in language is similar to the act of making new paths in urban walking", does not it? If so, what does "tourner un parcours" mean here? I can not understand its role here.
In fact, though its spelling differs slightly – a ‘c’ rather than a ‘k’ – parcours is the term used to mean an obstacle course or route. Furthermore, it is a word de Certeau employs in drawing his celebrated analogy in The Practice of Everyday Life between the practices of writing and urban walking: ‘the act of “turning” phrases finds an equivalent in an act of composing a path (tourner un parcours)’
In fact, though its spelling differs slightly – a ‘c’ rather than a ‘k’ – parcours is the term used to mean an obstacle course or route. Furthermore, it is a word de Certeau employs in drawing his celebrated analogy in The Practice of Everyday Life between the practices of writing and urban walking: ‘the act of “turning” phrases finds an equivalent in an act of composing a path (tourner un parcours)’
Top answer
It's a French expression, presumably in the untranslated text, which the author seems to be interpreting as 'composing a path'. It's a loose interpretation, but the literal translation 'to turn a course' is obviously not what we would say in English. 'Follow a route' or 'make a path' are similar.
- It's a French expression, presumably in the untranslated text, which the author seems to be interpreting as 'composing a path'.
- It's a loose interpretation, but the literal translation 'to turn a course' is obviously not what we would say in English.
- 'Follow a route' or 'make a path' are similar.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
3 Answers
0
It's a French expression, presumably in the untranslated text, which the author seems to be interpreting as 'composing a path'. It's a loose interpretation, but the literal translation 'to turn a course' is obviously not what we would say in English. 'Follow a route' or 'make a path' are similar.
00
Thank you @Vic Z . And does the highlighted sentence mean " the act of making new paths in urban walking is similar to the act of making new phrases in language"?
00
Related Questions