calque Definition
a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal, word-for-word translation.
Using calque: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "calque" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The English phrase 'beer garden' is a calque of the German 'Biergarten'.
Example
The term 'brain drain' is a calque of the French 'fuite des cerveaux'.
Example
The English phrase 'skyscraper' is a calque of the German 'Wolkenkratzer'.
calque Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for calque
- loan translation
- literal translation
- word-for-word translation
Phrases with calque
Example
The translator calqued the phrase 'je ne sais quoi' as 'I don't know what'.
the process of creating a new word or phrase in a language by translating it literally from another language
Example
The term 'loan shark' is a calque formation from the Chinese 'shui shou', meaning 'money lender'.
Example
The student's essay was full of calques, indicating a case of calque syndrome.
Origins of calque
from French 'calque', meaning 'copy' or 'trace'
Summary: calque in Brief
The term 'calque' [kal-k] refers to a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal, word-for-word translation. Examples include 'beer garden' from German 'Biergarten,' and 'brain drain' from French 'fuite des cerveaux.' 'Calque' can also be used as a verb, as in 'The translator calqued the phrase,' and in phrases like 'calque formation,' and 'calque syndrome.'
