Calque
Calque
- In linguistics, a calque ([kælk]) or loan translation consists of the borrowing of a phrase from one language into another, in the process of which individual words native to the borrowing language semantically match the individual words in the source language.
- The word is also used as a verb: to calque means to loan translate from another language to create a new lexeme in the target language.
English
Noun
Thus:
- English Superman calques German Übermensch
- English Governor-General calques French gouverneur général
- English Commonwealth calques Latin res publica (which has also become Republic)
- English breakfast calques French déjeuner (which now means lunch).
French
Examples of French expressions calqued from English include:
- French lune de miel calques English honeymoon
- French gratte-ciel calques English skyscraper
See also
fr:Calque ru:Калька