keerdkäigud

Keerdkäigud is a plural Estonian noun that denotes detours or bends, and also figurative twists in plans, stories, or life events. In travel and road contexts, keerdkäigud refer to sections of a route where the road winds sharply, often in hilly or mountainous terrain, requiring slower driving and careful navigation. In a broader sense, the term is used to describe unexpected developments that alter the course of events, such as changes in strategy, reversals, or surprising turns in a narrative.

Etymology and sense development: the word is formed from keerata, meaning to twist or turn, and käik, meaning a path, movement, or turn. This combination yields both a literal sense (a winding segment of a road) and a figurative sense (a turning point or complication in a situation).

Usage and nuance: keerdkäigud can be neutral, simply describing the geometry of a route or a sequence of events, but they can carry a slightly negative connotation when the twists disrupt plans or cause difficulties. The term is common in journalism, travel writing, literature, and everyday speech, where it helps convey complexity, change, or uncertainty.

See also: detour, plot twist, turn in events, road bend.