calque

IPA/kælk/
IPA/kælk/

calque — noun

1. a word or phrase created by translating each part of a foreign expression direct

1.nounC2
Definition

a word or phrase created by translating each part of a foreign expression directly into another language, rather than borrowing the original foreign form.

Example

Samir explained that a calque copies meaning, not foreign sounds.

contrast: calque vs loanword

In her paper, Élise called "flea market" a calque from French.

a calque from + language

Common collocations
  • a calque from French
  • produce a calque
  • avoid a calque
  • a semantic calque
Synonyms
  • loan translation

    the standard technical term for the same process and result

  • literal translation

    broader everyday phrase that can describe whole sentences, not only lexical borrowings

Grammar Patterns

a calque from + language

produce a calque

avoid a calque

Usage Note

Mostly used in linguistics, translation studies, and language history. Outside specialist writing, people more often say "loan translation" or explain the idea with "literal translation".

Common Mistakes

Sushi is a calque from Japanese.
Sushi is a loanword from Japanese.
a calque translates the meaning into the new language instead of keeping the original form.
This sentence is a calque because it is very literal.
This phrase is a calque because its parts were translated literally into a new expression.
calque names the resulting word or expression, not every literal translation.

Etymology

First known use

1926

1926, in the meaning defined above