stillschweigenden

Stillschweigenden is the inflected form of the adjective stillschweigend, meaning silent or reticent. It is used in German to describe persons or groups that do not speak or disclose information, especially in formal or legal contexts. For example, die stillschweigenden Zeugen or den stillschweigenden Beteiligten.

Etymology and grammar: the word is built from the noun Stillschweigen (silence, nondisclosure) plus the suffix -end, forming the present participle adjective stillschweigend. The form stillschweigenden appears when the noun it modifies is plural and preceded by a definite determiner (for instance die or den). Without a determiner, or in other cases, the endings differ (stillschweigende Zeugen in nominative plural, for example).

Usage and nuance: the term is primarily found in written or formal language, including legal texts, negotiations, and official reports. It serves as a descriptive label rather than a unique legal category, highlighting that the described individuals refrain from commenting or revealing information. It is often encountered alongside related concepts such as Schweigepflicht (duty of confidentiality), Verschwiegenheit, and Geheimhaltung.

Examples: stillschweigenden Zeugen, stillschweigenden Beteiligten, in line with typical determiner-noun concordance. The expression conveys taciturnity or strategic silence in a given context, rather than a judgment about the persons involved.

See also: Schweigepflicht, Verschwiegenheit, Geheimhaltung, Stillschweigen.