Adjective
/uni.laˈɾal/
The word "unilateral" is used to describe an action or decision that affects only one party or side, without consultation or agreement from others involved. In Spanish, it retains the same connotation as in English, often referring to legal, political, or medical contexts. The frequency of use is moderate, and it is commonly found in both oral speech and written texts, particularly in formal or academic discussions.
The decision was unilateral and did not consider the opinions of others.
El tratado se firmó de manera unilateral por el país implicado.
The treaty was signed unilaterally by the involved country.
La política unilateral de la empresa generó descontento entre los empleados.
While "unilateral" does not have many direct idiomatic expressions, it can be associated with expressions that highlight the concept of one-sided actions or decisions. Here are some relevant examples:
The action was unilateral, leaving the partners in the dark.
A veces, actuar de manera unilateral puede ser un error.
Sometimes, acting unilaterally can be a mistake.
Su declaración fue completamente unilateral y no representó la opinión del grupo.
The term "unilateral" comes from the Latin unilateralis, which is composed of the prefix "uni-" meaning "one" and "lateralis" which means "side". Thus, it literally translates to "one-sided".
This structure provides a detailed overview of the term "unilateral" in various contexts, its usage, and linguistic characteristics in the Spanish language.