Onmenselijke

Onmenselijke is an adjective in Dutch meaning inhumane or cruel, used to describe actions, conditions, or behavior that violate broadly accepted standards of humanity. It is commonly employed to condemn severe cruelty, deprivation, or coercive treatment in journalism, ethics, law, and everyday language. Typical collocations include onmenselijke behandeling (inhumane treatment), onmenselijke omstandigheden (inhuman conditions), and onmenselijke wreedheid (inhuman cruelty).

Etymology and grammar: The word is formed from mens (human) with the suffix -elijk to yield menselijk (humane), with the negating prefix on- to produce onmenselijk (inhuman). The attributive form before a noun is onmenselijke (e.g., onmenselijke behandeling). In predicative use, Dutch normally employs onmenselijk, as in De omstandigheden zijn onmenselijk (The conditions are inhumane).

Usage and context: Onmenselijk carries a strong normative charge and is typical in discussions of human rights, welfare, and ethical critique. In Dutch translations of international law, phrases like onmenselijke behandeling map to the concept of inhuman treatment. While precise and forceful, the term can be hyperbolic if applied to ordinary difficulties; context and specificity (e.g., “onmenselijke omstandigheden” vs. “onmenselijke behandeling”) help maintain nuance. Related concepts include dehumanisatie (dehumanization) and other terms such as menselijk (humane) for contrast.

See also: dehumanisatie, humane treatment, menselijk.