Utsättningen

Utsättningen is a Swedish noun derived from the verb utsätta. It denotes the act of exposing or subjecting someone or something to a condition, influence, or risk, as well as placing someone or something in a particular situation. The word is used across various domains to describe a relationship between an agent and a target and the resulting state or experience.

Etymology and form: utsättningen comes from ut- (out, forth) combined with sätta (to set, place). It is grammatically a common gender noun (en utsättning) with the definite form utsättningen and the plural utsättningar. In many contexts it refers to a general process rather than a specific instance.

Typical usages: in everyday language, utsättningen expresses exposure or subjection, for example to weather, danger, or influence. In environmental and biological contexts, it can describe the deliberate introduction or stocking of organisms into an environment, known in English as stocking or release (utsättning av fiskar, till exempel). In medical or safety contexts, it can refer to exposure to substances, hazards, or other untreated conditions that affect health or safety.

Historical and legal note: the term has historical resonance in discussions of child welfare, where barnutsättning referred to the abandonment or exposure of a child at a public place. Modern usage tends to avoid this sense, which is largely relegated to historical or literary contexts.

See also: utsätta, exponering, stocking (in ecological contexts).