Calque

Quick meaning: Calque is a noun meaning (linguistics, translation studies) A word or phrase in a language formed by word-for-word or morpheme-by-morpheme translation of a word in another language.

Meaning

(linguistics, translation studies) A word or phrase in a language formed by word-for-word or morpheme-by-morpheme translation of a word in another language.

More Meanings

1. (linguistics, translation studies, transitive) To adopt (a word or phrase) from one language to another by semantic translation of its parts.

Example Sentences

One of the primary benefits of calque is its ability to enhance cross-cultural communication.

David S. Powers, professor of Islamic history and law at Cornell, says he thinks that the word as used today is in the nature of what linguists call a calque, a borrowing from another language in literal translation […]

Those phrases, translated from Spanish, are known as calques. […] The three young Miamians in the video also use “super” as an adverb, one of the calques from Spanish mentioned in Dr. Carter’s research. (“Ay, I’m super bloated.”)

Terms like "cloud computing" have been calqued into multiple languages, making it easier for global audiences to grasp complex technological concepts. […] For example, translating Shakespeare's works into other languages often involves calquing phrases to maintain the rhythm and metaphorical richness of the original.

Word Forms

• calques
• calquing
• calqued

Synonyms for calque

Depending on context, synonyms include calquing.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include homologue, semi-calque, equivalence, analogy, similect, homolog.

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