impatti

Impatti is the plural form of the Italian noun impatto, which denotes the effect or influence resulting from a cause, or the physical collision between moving bodies. The term can refer to tangible forces, such as the impact of a hammer on a surface, as well as to abstract consequences, such as the social, economic, or environmental impacts of a policy or project.

Etymology and nuance: Impatto derives from Latin impactus and has become widely used in modern Italian across scientific, technical, and journalistic writing. Impatti is the natural plural when speaking of multiple effects or consequences, and it commonly appears alongside adjectives or nouns that qualify the type of impact, for example impatti ambientali or impatti economici.

Applications and fields: In mechanics and engineering, impatti describe collisions and their resulting forces. In environmental science, economics, sociology, and public policy, the term is employed to discuss or forecast consequences of actions, plans, or events. The expression valutazione degli impatti or valutazione di impatto is standard in planning contexts, with the environmental variant VIA (Valutazione di Impatto Ambientale) being a formal procedure in many jurisdictions.

Symmetry with related terms: Impatto is closely related to effetto and conseguenza, but impatti often convey multiple or significant consequences and is frequently used in technical or policy-focused discourse. The singular impatto may refer to a specific effect, while impatti emphasizes the plural set of results across domains or scenarios.

Examples: Gli impatti del cambiamento climatico includono ondate di calore e siccità. L’azienda sta valutando gli impatti economici e sociali del progetto. See also impatto ambientale, valutazione di impatto, VIA.