Osjäliga

Osjäliga is a Swedish adjective used to describe actions, motives, or people characterized by a lack of selfishness. It roughly corresponds to English unselfish or altruistic. In everyday Swedish, osjäliga is typically applied to deeds or intentions rather than to a lasting personal trait, though a person can be described as osjälig in a general sense (for example en osjälig person).

Etymology and form: The word is formed with the prefix o- indicating negation attached to the stem related to the self (själ-). The adjective inflects for gender and number: en osjälig person; ett osjäligt beteende; osjäliga handlingar. The neuter singular form is osjäligt, the plural is osjäliga, and the feminine or common singular remains osjälig.

Usage and nuance: Osjäliga is often used to praise selfless acts or motives, sometimes with moral or religious nuance, but it is also common in secular contexts. It is related to osjälviskhet and altruism and stands in contrast to själviskhet or egoism. Examples include: Hennes osjäliga handlingar räddade flera liv. Det var en osjälig handling att ge upp sin plats åt någon annan. Hans osjäliga motivation uppskattades av alla.

See also: osjälviskhet, altruism, själviskhet, egoism. The term is part of ordinary Swedish discourse and is often used in discussions of ethics, charity, and civic virtue.