Triggeren

Triggeren is a verb used in Dutch and, less commonly, in German, borrowed from the English verb trigger. It means to cause something to start, activate, or provoke a response, often by means of a trigger or initiating cue. In everyday language it can describe both physical activation and the initiation of non-physical processes.

Etymology and usage notes: Triggeren derives from the English word trigger, originally referring to the lever or mechanism that releases a firearm. In Dutch and German, the loanword has broadened to cover any action that sets off a sequence of events, including non-physical or abstract triggers such as signals, conditions, or stimuli.

Domains of use:

- Technology and computing: In software and automation, to trigger a process means to start it in response to an event or condition. Databases use triggers to automatically execute code when data is inserted, updated, or deleted. The term triggeren is common in technical contexts and documentation.

- Psychology and social discourse: In psychological and everyday language, a trigger is a stimulus that evokes memories, emotions, or reactions. Trigger warnings are notices that a content may evoke distress. The concept emphasizes sensitivity to individual experiences, while opinions differ on the scope and impact of triggers.

- Other domains: In media, marketing, and everyday speech, triggeren is used to describe any act that causes a reaction or chain of events. In firearms contexts, the literal sense refers to activating a firearm’s mechanism, though standard terminology in many languages favors native terms for the mechanism.

See also: trigger warning, event trigger, database trigger, trigger (mechanism).