uafhængig

Uafhængig is a Danish adjective meaning not dependent; independent. It describes a person, organization, or system that operates without external influence, control, or financial ties. In Danish, the term is commonly used in political, legal, scientific, and media contexts to express autonomy and impartiality. The word can modify nouns directly ("en uafhængig undersøgelse") or describe status ("et uafhængigt domstolssystem").

Etymology: The word is formed by the negative prefix u- attached to afhængig (dependent). The combination conveys lack of dependency or coercion. The term is closely related to Norwegian uavhengig and, in broader Scandinavian usage, to terms meaning autonomy or impartiality. In Danish usage, it is typically contrasted with afhængig.

Common collocations include uafhængig presse (independent press), uafhængige myndigheder (independent authorities), uafhængige eksperter, and uafhængig forskning. The adverb form is uafhængigt, as in "forskningen blev udført uafhængigt af interesser" (the research was conducted independently of interests). In everyday speech, synonyms include selvstændig, autonom, and upartisk; antonyms include afhængig and bundet.

Notes on usage: while uafhængig can describe freedom from external control, it does not inherently imply moral or ideological neutrality; context matters.

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