noun
- A word or phrase formed by translating the parts of a foreign word or expression into the native language.
Usage: linguistics term; also called a loan translation
verb
- To form a calque; to translate a foreign word or phrase element by element into one's own language.
Usage: linguistics term; transitive or intransitive
Examples
- The English phrase 'skyscraper' is a calque of the German 'Wolkenkratzer'.
- French 'gratte-ciel' is a calque of the English 'skyscraper'.
- Linguists often calque technical terms from one language into another.
- The German word 'Fernweh' was calqued into English as 'distance-pain' or 'wanderlust'.
- Many modern tech terms are calques from English into other languages.
- The Spanish 'rascacielos' is a calque meaning 'sky-scraper'.