décortiquer / peel


When you décortique something, you make a complete examination, or minute analysis, of it. You take it apart entirely - peel away all the layers, so to speak - and lay everything out so that it becomes understandable.


So "peel" might be a good translation but I think if you used peel in English, you'd have to elaborate. People'd look at you funny if you said, "I have to peel that sentence structure."

Well, to be honest, most people look at you funny if you said, "I have to analyse that sentence structure" too, since grammar-geeks are somewhat misunderstood bunch, but you know what I mean.