Rikkumist

Rikkumist is an Estonian linguistic form used to refer to the act of violating rules, causing damage, or breaching norms. It derives from the verb rikkuma, meaning to spoil, damage, or violate, and from the noun rikkumine, which denotes the act itself. The form rikkumist appears mainly as a case form within phrases such as “seaduse rikkumist” (violation of the law) or “konventsiooni rikkumist” (breach of a convention). In everyday and formal language, rikkumine is the broad term for infringements, and rikkumist is the related case form used in these constructions.

In legal and administrative contexts, rikkumine often covers infringements that are punishable but not classified as criminal acts. This can include administrative offences, civil breaches, or breaches of contracts and regulations. The exact interpretation and severity of rikkumine can vary by jurisdiction and by the specific statute involved, so text books and statutes provide the authoritative definitions in a given country.

Usage and collocations: rikkumist commonly appears with nouns that denote norms, obligations, or legal rules, such as seadus (law), kokkulepe (agreement), kohustus (obligation), or regulatsioon (regulation). It is also used with verbs that express the act of violating, such as rikkuma, and with phrases that describe consequences or processes related to non-compliance.

Related terms include rikkumine (the act of violating), rikkumised (breaches or violations in plural), and the verb rikkuma (to violate). The term is widely used in legal literature, journalism, and policy discussions to characterize instances of non-compliance, breaches of rights, or breaches of regulatory requirements.