tourane: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely Low / ArchaicHistorical, Archival
Quick answer
What does “tourane” mean?
A former name (French colonial era) for the city of Da Nang in central Vietnam.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A former name (French colonial era) for the city of Da Nang in central Vietnam.
Used historically in Western contexts to refer to the city, its port, or the surrounding region. May appear in older historical texts, maps, or travelogues.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference. The term is equally archaic in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes French colonial history in Indochina (mid-19th to mid-20th century).
Frequency
Virtually never used in contemporary language outside specific historical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “tourane” in a Sentence
[historical reference] to Touranethe former port known as TouraneVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “tourane” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The Tourane period of the city's history is well-documented.
- A Tourane-era map
American English
- The Tourane period of the city's history is well-documented.
- A Tourane-era fortification
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in historical, geographical, or colonial studies texts.
Everyday
Never used in everyday modern conversation.
Technical
May appear in archival documents, old nautical charts, or historical military reports.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “tourane”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “tourane”
- Using 'Tourane' to refer to modern Da Nang in contemporary writing.
- Misspelling as 'Torane' or 'Touraine' (a region in France).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but chronologically. Tourane is the historical French colonial name for the city now officially called Da Nang.
No. Using 'Tourane' in a modern context is archaic and potentially insensitive. Always use the contemporary name 'Da Nang'.
After Vietnam gained independence, the city reverted to its Vietnamese name, Da Nang, as part of decolonisation.
Primarily in historical documents, academic papers on colonial history, old maps, and some legacy institutions (e.g., Catholic dioceses) that retain the historical name.
A former name (French colonial era) for the city of Da Nang in central Vietnam.
Tourane is usually historical, archival in register.
Tourane: in British English it is pronounced /tʊˈrɑːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /tʊˈrɑːn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'TOUR of a bygone ANNE' – a tour into the past, to the era when the city was called Tourane.
Conceptual Metaphor
A linguistic fossil; a name preserved in the amber of historical records.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'Tourane' most likely to be found today?