aangetasten

Aangetasten is a Dutch term that is used primarily as a noun in the plural to denote people or entities that have been affected, touched, or compromised by an event, condition, or action. It originates from the verb aantasten, whose past participle aangetast describes something that has been touched or damaged; aangetasten is the plural form used when the affected subjects are referred to as a group.

Etymology and forms: The verb aantasten means to affect, impair, or compromise. The past participle is aangetast; the nominal plural aangetasten is used as a substantive noun, often with a definite article, as in de aangetasten. The adjective form aangetast is used to describe a single affected entity: een aangetaste regio, een aangetast systeem.

Usage: In epidemiology, policy, journalism, and security contexts, aangetasten can designate a group that has suffered impact. It is common in reports about disease spread (de aangetasten) and in discussions of privacy or infrastructural damage. The term is formal and can carry a clinical or administrative tone.

Alternatives: Depending on context, more precise terms are preferable, such as de getroffen personen, de besmette patiënten, de beschadigde systemen, or de betrokken partijen.