Simultán

Simultán is a term used in several languages to denote the concept of events or processes that occur at the same time. It is formed from the Latin root simultaneus and appears in varied forms such as simultan, simultán, or simulatán with language-specific diacritics. The sense is generally the same: two or more things sharing the same temporal moment.

In usage across languages, simultán often functions as an adjective meaning “occurring at the same time.” In Indonesian and Malay, for example, the word simultan is widely used to describe simultaneity and is found in common phrases such as interpretasi simultan (simultaneous interpretation) and gerak simultan (simultaneous motion). Other languages borrow the term as a technical loanword or adapt it to a local form, retaining the core meaning.

In science and philosophy, simultaneity refers to the relationship between events with respect to time. In the theory of relativity, simultaneity is relative: whether two spatially separated events occur at the same time can depend on the observer’s frame of reference. This insight is central to discussions of time, causality, and measurement.

In applied contexts, simultán can appear in discussions of timing, synchronization, or parallel processes. It is closely related to terms such as synchronous, simultaneity, and parallel execution, which describe how multiple events or tasks are coordinated in time.

See also: simultaneity, simultaneous interpretation, synchronization, parallel computing.