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Zuotengdazuo Posted 7 years ago
Grammar

What does “tangent of possibility” mean?

More important is knowing how the journey itself shapes a different class of human being: people whose ideas of “home” now incorporate an open road—a vast and risky tangent of possibility that begins somewhere far away and ends at your doorsill. How you accept this tiding, with open arms or crouched behind high walls, isn’t at issue either. Because however you react, with compassion or fear, humankind’s reawakened mobility has changed you already.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2019/07/paul-salopek-chronicles-the-mass-migrations-that-define-our-age-feature/


Hi. This article is about migration. What does “tangent of possibility” mean?
Thank you.

  

Top answer

It is quite hard to understand why that word has been used. It could be a reference to the idea that all these possible journeys "touch" you at one point, your doorsill. g.

  • It is quite hard to understand why that word has been used.
  • It could be a reference to the idea that all these possible journeys "touch" you at one point, your doorsill.
  • g.
  • of a conversation) and go in a different direction, so it could be invoking that idea too.
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1 Answers
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It is quite hard to understand why that word has been used. It could be a reference to the idea that all these possible journeys "touch" you at one point, your doorsill. Also, there is a phrase "go off at/on a tangent", which means to deviate from the expected/logical progression (e.g. of a conversation) and go in a different direction, so it could be invoking that idea too.

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