collateral damage
der Kollateralschaden, die Kollateralschäden
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collateral damage
Unintended damage caused during a military or other targeted operation in addition to the actual objective, especially to people or their property.
Bei dem Luftangriff kamen mehrere Zivilisten ums Leben; dabei entstanden erhebliche Kollateralschäden.
Several civilians were killed in the air strike, causing significant collateral damage.
collateral damage
An unintended negative consequence of a measure or decision that does not affect the actual objective.
Die kleinen Geschäfte im Viertel wurden zum Kollateralschaden der neuen Bauplanung.
The small businesses in the neighborhood became collateral damage of the new construction plans.
| gender | masculine der |
|---|---|
| plural | die Kollateralschäden |
| genitive | des Kollateralschadens |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | der Kollateralschaden | die Kollateralschäden |
| accusative | den Kollateralschaden | die Kollateralschäden |
| dative | dem Kollateralschaden | den Kollateralschäden |
| genitive | des Kollateralschadens | der Kollateralschäden |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Common collocations include „Kollateralschäden verursachen“ (to cause collateral damage), „Kollateralschäden vermeiden“ (to avoid collateral damage), and „Kollateralschäden in Kauf nehmen“ (to accept collateral damage). The last expression shows that possible damage is known about and accepted nonetheless.
Die Verantwortlichen nahmen mögliche Kollateralschäden bewusst in Kauf.
Those responsible knowingly accepted the possibility of collateral damage.
In a military context, „Kollateralschaden“ (collateral damage) can sound euphemistic, especially when people have been killed or injured. In critical reports, the word is therefore sometimes put in quotation marks to distance the writer from this choice of wording.
Die Zeitung kritisierte, dass die getöteten Dorfbewohner im Bericht nur als „Kollateralschaden“ bezeichnet wurden.
The newspaper criticized the fact that the villagers who had been killed were referred to in the report merely as „Kollateralschaden“ (collateral damage).
A common pattern is „zum Kollateralschaden einer Sache werden“ (to become collateral damage of something). A following genitive can be used to indicate which measure or conflict caused the negative consequence.
Das Kulturzentrum wurde zum Kollateralschaden der städtischen Sparpolitik.
The cultural center became collateral damage of the city's austerity policy.
