EpicentRx Word of the Week: Calque

Dec 18, 2023

“It goes without saying (ça va sans dire) that calque is a good word to know.”

Calque noun pl -s

kalk

Definition:

: A word or phrase in one language that directly translates from a word or phrase in another language. Calques are also called loan translations.

Calques, calquing or calqued verb forms

kalks, kalking, kalked

: to form a word or phrase through loan translation.

Example sentences:

“Peninsula is a calque of the German word, halbinsel.”

“That goes without saying is a calque from the French, ça va sans dire.”

“Flea market is a calque of the French expression marché aux puces, which literally translates to “market with fleas’.”

“Beer Garden is a calque of the German Biergarten.

“Adam’s Apple is a calque of the French pomme d’Adam.

“Blue blood is a calque from the Spanish sangre azul.”

“Masterpiece is a calque from the Dutch meesterstuk, or German Meisterstück.”

“Superman is a calque for the German Ubermensch.

About the Word:

From French an imitation, tracing “calquer, to trace”