Süütajad

Süütajad is an Estonian noun commonly understood as referring to the guilty parties or perpetrators in a given wrongdoing. The word is formed from the root associated with guilt and denotes those who bear responsibility for an act. In everyday Estonian, more frequent terms for individuals responsible for wrongdoing are süüdlane (the guilty one) and kurjategija (criminal). Süütajad, when used, tends to appear in formal, legal, or narrative contexts to emphasize a group rather than an individual.

Usage and nuances

Süütajad can be used to describe multiple people deemed responsible, for example in a discussion about collective accountability or in historical or literary texts. The term carries a clear moral judgment by indicating guilt, and it contrasts with terms for victims (ohvrid) or the accuser (süüdistaja). In legal language, precision is often preferred, and more specific terms such as süüdlane or süüdistatav (the accused) may be used depending on the context.

Etymology

The word is related to the Estonian concept of guilt and uses the common agent-noun suffix -aja, which yields a noun meaning “one who causes [guilt]” or “one who bears guilt.” This formation is typical in Estonian for creating nouns that denote actors related to a core notion like guilt.

Notes

There is no widely recognized organization or proper noun commonly known as “Süütajad” in major sources. If the term appears as a proper name in a specific work or local context, that usage would require contextual clarification.