Lehnübersetzung

Lehnübersetzung, a German term, refers to a calque or loan translation in linguistics. It is a compound word or phrase borrowed from another language and translated literally, word for word, into the borrowing language. This process involves taking the structure and meaning of the source expression and recreating it using equivalent morphemes or words in the target language.

For example, the German word "Fernseher" (television) is a Lehnübersetzung of the English "television." "Fern" means "far" and "seher" means "seer" or "viewer," directly translating the Greek roots "tele" (far) and "horama" (sight). Another common example is the German "Wolkenkratzer" for "skyscraper," literally translating "cloud scraper."

Lehnübersetzungen are a common phenomenon in language contact and contribute significantly to the vocabulary of many languages. They often arise when a new concept or technology emerges in one culture and is adopted by another. While the literal translation maintains the original meaning, it can sometimes result in expressions that sound slightly unusual or distinct within the borrowing language. This linguistic borrowing is a natural way for languages to evolve and adapt.