Orimligt

Orimligt is a Swedish adjective used to describe something that cannot reasonably be accepted, justified, or expected given the circumstances. It signals that a situation, demand, or consequence exceeds what would be rational, proportional, or fair.

Etymology and form: Orimligt is formed from the negative prefix o- attached to rimlig, which means reasonable. The related noun is rimlighet (reasonableness) and the adverb is orimligt as well. The word is common in both everyday speech and formal writing.

Usage and scope: Orimligt is typically employed to criticize demands, costs, rules, or outcomes that appear excessively burdensome, irrational, or unjustified. Common collocations include orimliga krav (unreasonable demands), orimlig kostnad (unreasonable cost), and orimliga konsekvenser (unreasonable consequences). It is a normative term: its truth value depends on judgments about what is appropriate or warranted in a given context.

Legal and policy contexts: In law and public discourse, orimligt is often used to argue that a measure or obligation is disproportionate or lacks justification. Proportionality, reasonableness, and fairness are frequent reference points in such discussions.

Relation to other terms: The opposite is rimlig (reasonable); related concepts include rimlighet (reasonableness) and proportionalitet (proportionality). While orimligt frequently conveys strong critique, its assessment can vary with differing perspectives and factual bases.