Which of the following is an example of a calque?

• A. A phrase borrowed from another language without translation.
• B. A direct loanword kept unchanged.
• C. Translating components of a phrase; example: 'flea market' from French 'marché aux puces.'
• D. A phrase derived from Old English used in modern English.

Answer: (C)

Calque means a loan translation—taking a foreign expression and rendering its parts in the adopting language. The example given—flea market from the French marché aux puces—fits this perfectly: the idea of a market for fleas is translated word-for-word into English, creating a new phrase that mirrors the structure of the original.

The other descriptions describe different kinds of borrowing. Borrowing a phrase from another language without translation is simply a loanword, not a calque. Keeping the foreign term unchanged is also a loanword. Using an older English expression derived from Old English isn’t about translating parts of a foreign phrase, so it isn’t a calque either.