‘A calque or loan-translation is a borrowing of a compound word from another language where each component is translated into native words and then joined together.’
‘In either case, English-speakers may have adopted the phrase via a direct, word-for-word translation of the German idiom; linguists call this a calque.’
‘So ‘butt naked’ would be a straightforward calque of a common expression whose word for ‘butt’ had dropped out of the language.’
‘Yesterday, Geraint Jennings pointed out that the ‘flights’ of drinks offered on upscale restaurant menus are a calque of French ‘volée ’, which has been borrowed directly as volley.’
‘Anyway, Joe has been doing French calques for sixteen years.’
verb
Linguistics be calqued on
Originate or function as a loan translation of.
‘“it goes without saying” is calqued on French “cela va sans dire”’
‘Besides, even when the new meanings of existing words were calqued on cognate words in other languages.’
‘The most plausible explanation of its origin seems to be that it came in via American English, calqued on German ‘hoffentlich’.’
‘He is aware that the French in the above poem is purposefully calqued on English, rather than based on standard French.’
‘In addition, 103 main entries are borrowed from personal or place names, and 70 further entries are calqued on models in foreign languages.’
‘The Kriyol system has changed from a system calqued on Mandika to a system closer to Portuguese.’
Origin
1930s from French, literally ‘copy, tracing’, from calquer ‘to trace’, via Italian from Latin calcare ‘to tread’.
Are You Learning English? Here Are Our Top English Tips