sovereignty / composure
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sovereignty
A state's independence and self-determination internally and externally. A state is sovereign if it can pass its own laws and govern without external interference.
Das Land verteidigte seine politische Souveränität gegen äußere Einmischung.
The country defended its political sovereignty against external interference.
The noun 'Souveränität' (sovereignty/composure) is derived from the adjective 'souverän' (sovereign/confident). The ending '-ität' is often used to form abstract nouns from adjectives, usually ones of Latin or French origin.
Ein souveräner Staat trifft seine eigenen Entscheidungen.
A sovereign state makes its own decisions.
You can easily recognize the meaning from context. If the topic is politics, states, or laws, it refers to state independence. If the topic is a person and their behavior in a difficult situation, it refers to personal calmness and composure.
Die Souveränität des Staates ist ein hohes Gut.
The sovereignty of the state is a highly important value.
The word 'Souveränität' (sovereignty/composure) belongs to educated and specialist language. It is mainly used in formal, political, legal, or sophisticated texts and discussions.
In der Debatte ging es um die nationale Souveränität in der EU.
The debate was about national sovereignty in the EU.
In a political context, sovereignty is often combined with certain verbs: one can preserve, recognize, violate, or defend a country's sovereignty.
Andere Länder müssen die Souveränität der Nation anerkennen.
Other countries must recognize the sovereignty of the nation.
When referring to the personal quality, people talk about showing, proving, radiating, or maintaining composure.
Trotz des Drucks bewahrte sie ihre Souveränität.
Despite the pressure, she maintained her composure.
safety / certainty / security
'die Sicherheit' and 'die Souveränität' can both describe that someone does not seem insecure. 'Sicherheit' is more about being certain of something or being able to act reliably. 'Souveränität' more strongly describes a person's calm and controlled manner, especially in difficult situations. The words can be confused because people with 'Souveränität' often seem confident. But 'Souveränität' sounds more like presence and composure, while 'Sicherheit' is more about certainty or solid ability.
Die Verkäuferin reagierte mit großer Souveränität, obwohl der Kunde sehr unfreundlich war.
The saleswoman reacted with great composure, even though the customer was very rude.
Durch viel Übung gewann Tom mehr Sicherheit beim freien Sprechen.
Through lots of practice, Tom gained more confidence in speaking freely.