Calque formation is a linguistic process where a new word or phrase is created in a language by borrowing and directly translating a word or phrase from another language. The spelling of calque formation is /kælk fɔrmˈeɪʃən/. The first syllable is pronounced with a short 'a' sound, followed by a hard 'c' sound, and a 'k' sound. The second syllable is pronounced with a long 'o' sound, and the stress is on the third syllable. The final syllable has a 'sh' sound followed by an 'un' sound.
Calque formation refers to a linguistic process where a word or phrase from one language is directly translated into another language, while maintaining the syntactic structure of the original language. In other words, calque formation occurs when a new expression is created in a target language by imitating the structure and elements of a source language.
The term "calque" itself is derived from the French word "calquer," which means "to trace" or "to copy." In this linguistic context, it refers to the act of borrowing or importing words or phrases from one language to another with minimal alteration.
During calque formation, the original meaning and structure of the source language are retained, but the expression is adapted to fit the conventions and vocabulary of the target language. This often involves replacing individual words or morphemes with their respective counterparts in the new language.
Calque formation is a common phenomenon observed in multilingual societies, where the contact between different languages leads to the transfer of linguistic elements. It can occur consciously or unconsciously, as speakers of a language may borrow expressions from another language for various reasons, such as to describe new concepts or to convey a specific cultural nuance.
Overall, calque formation serves as a mechanism for linguistic borrowing, enabling the transfer of words and phrases between languages while preserving the structure and meaning of the original expression.
The term "calque formation" is derived from a combination of two words: "calque" and "formation". Here's the etymology of each word:
1. Calque: The word "calque" comes from the French word "calquer", which means "to copy", "to trace", or "to imitate". It originated from the Italian "calco", which means "a mold" or "a cast". The Italian word "calco" itself traces back to the Latin word "calcāre", which means "to tread" or "to stamp", derived from "calx", meaning "heel" or "limestone". The connection between stamping and copying led to the usage of "calco" and its French derivative "calquer" to refer to the practice of borrowing directly from another language through translation.
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