Nietonderhandelbare

Nietonderhandelbare is a Dutch adjective describing demands, positions, or principles that are not open to negotiation. The term signals an absolute boundary or a requirement that must be accepted as stated, without concession. It is used in political debates, organizational policy, ethics, law, and personal decision-making to emphasize firmness or inviolability. Common collocations include niet-onderhandelbare eisen, waarden, of principes.

Orthography and forms: In standard Dutch, the attributive form is typically written with a hyphen as niet-onderhandelbare, as in een niet-onderhandelbare eis of de niet-onderhandelbare eisen. In predicative use, the phrase is usually two words: het is niet onderhandelbaar. Some writers and style guides allow a closed form zoals nietonderhandelbare, but this is less common and can be regarded as nonstandard or stylistically marked.

Usage and nuance: Deployed to convey firmness and clear boundaries, the term is often applied to core values (for example, mensenrechten), safety requirements, or legal principles that cannot be compromised. While it can express principled stances, overuse or rigid invocation of non-negotiables can hinder dialogue, diplomacy, or practical compromise. The Dutch term has a direct English equivalent in non-negotiable, and appears frequently in policy documents, political commentary, corporate charters, and ethical discussions.