Távoltartása

Távoltartása is a Hungarian noun that denotes the act or practice of keeping away from something or refraining from a certain action. It is formed from the root távol (far, away) and tartani (to hold, to keep), and it is used in both literal and figurative senses.

In everyday language, távoltartása describes avoiding contact, influence, or involvement. For example, one may speak of távoltartása a vitától (refraining from engaging in a debate) or távoltartása a veszélyes területektől (keeping away from dangerous areas). In safety and health contexts it can refer to measures intended to prevent exposure or contamination, such as távoltartása a fertőző anyagoktól or other risk-avoidance protocols. It is common to distinguish távoltartása from távolságtartás, the latter specifically emphasizing the maintenance of physical distance.

In psychology and behavioral sciences, távoltartása can relate to avoidance behavior, a coping strategy used to prevent distressing stimuli or situations. This usage covers both conscious decisions and automatic, learned responses, and it is often discussed in relation to anxiety disorders or stress management.

Translations into English include avoidance, keeping away, and distancing, depending on the context. Related Hungarian terms include elkerülés and kerülés, which describe similar concepts of avoidance or recession from a stimulus or situation. The term appears in various domains, from everyday discourse to formal safety guidelines and clinical literature.