Cat Calque; Or, The Case Of A Missing Idiom

Today, in my life long pursuit of mastery of english, I’ve learned about “calques”, or loan translations, in context of linguistics.

The world loan signifies, a word that is on a loan from some other part of the world.

So we are referring to a loaned word, in “loan translation”.

And then the word translation, refers to just translating words between languages.

In english, the word Cafe, is a loanword, but without translation.

I love English in ways that I can’t describe, that English will never-ever have a word for.

My first word was “Tea”, we had an Earl Grey tea tin when I was a baby.

And my mom, for no reason at all, turned to me and said “Tea means Herbata in English”.

Then when I was trying to figure out how to play a computer text game, which was crushing for me, as I had to translate every word with dictionary.

I actually, did something, my player was standing by a door, and in a burst of pure genius, that never repeated, I typed in “KNOCK”.

And a new screenful of text appeared, now, I wasn’t about to translate all of that – as far I was concerned I won.

It is of note that three more words swiftly followed, PRINT, LOOP, and PLOT.

Print allowed me to print text on my computer screen, back then a TV, Simon’s Basic PLOT helped me to experience the joy of putting a pixel on a TV.

And the concept of a LOOP and an INFINITE LOOP, accomplished with the keyword FOR, has been holding me by the button since – I freaking love infinite.

But, there is a but, and it is complicates.

English is missing an important idiomatic phrase, “having a cat”, which where I come from means losing ones mind.

But, it is said in a silly way, not exactly a negative way, though it is not a positive thing to say.

Lets use a upset lady as example, in Poland, you could say “One ma kota”, which just means she has a cat.

And there are layers of complexity here, that are hard to describe.

The phrase has to be said in context of someone acting in an irrational way, and not as a factual statement, but as if casting the phrase into the wind.

(give example)

It appears, that this phrase is most strongly used in Poland.

Russians have a “acting like a cat in a bag”, meaning acting chaotic.

And the French just have “to have a cat in the throat”, “avoir un chat dans la gorge" which just means croaky voice.

I don’t even know where to start with this, I just know that it is necessary, and awesome.

Because a new idiom is also stepping stone, a launch pad for variations.

"Skocila sie", as in "She Catted her self", means she had a melt down, but again in a mild way.

Where if the lady overheard those words, she woudn't be upset.

Perhaps a better example would be calling somone an old cat, in American english that may signify experience or being tired.

In polish, an Old Cat, has a hint of madnes to it, but again in a way that is not upsetting to people.

It almost means, Old Fox, but withut the strict emphasis on cleverness that "fox" tends to carry

Transferring an idiom, is a natural, emergent process, bringing it over seems impossible.

And as an English speaker now, it just seems that “she has a cat” has no room for another meaning.

But it is such a gentle and innocent way of calling someone , permanently irrational or crazy, that English could use it.

Saying she is nuts, is way too harsh, it is an insult.

She has a cat, could really soften that, but it sounds so odd, it will probably never transfer.

Though, taking about idiom, is a start.

It is such a strange thing, when an idiom is taken from you, I have a permanent emptiness in my English language.

It is such a bizarre thing that I can’t just say someone has a cat, and I just, don’t know how to fix it.

The english just does not have the right equivalent, and certainly not with a creature as cute.

I am lost, for words.

I am getting a cat, dostaje kota.