The productivity of the metaphor in the formation of specialized terminology is examined in English and Croatian, and the use of metaphorical expressions in the technical jargons in both languages is compared. The assimilation of English computer terminology into Croatian is examined, and instances in which the source language metaphor is rendered with a metaphor are distinguished from borrowings in which nonmetaphorical formations are used as equivalents. Differentiations are made between Croatian metaphors literally translated from the source language vs. native reproductions and calques. It is concluded that the high expressivity of English makes metaphor a more productive means of term formation than in Croatian. Since metaphors sound rather strange and awkward in specialized Croatian, nonmetaphors are frequently used to render English metaphorical terminology. (LLBA 1999, vol. 33, n. 2)