# TRIGGERED meaning?  Positive or negative use?



## Frost_at_Midnight

Hi all

My first post on the Dutch forum

I came across on the social media a message in Dutch along the lines of: it triggers me

1.  can this best be translated as stimulated?

2.  In dutch is it a derogatory emotion or a positive, neutral emotion even?


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## Peterdg

"It triggers me" is English, not Dutch.

What it means, depends on the context.


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## Red Arrow

It triggers me = It makes me angry.
Anglosaxon slang, not used in Flanders.


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## Frost_at_Midnight

It is on social media however, and according to Red Arrow it's not neutral, rather suggests anger and that was my reason for posting; trying to interpret the Dutch poster


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## Red Arrow

Give us more context. "Triggered" is usually used sarcastically.


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## ThomasK

Are you sure about all this? 
(1) _Dit triggert veel emoties, Kimback triggert Tom Boone_n, are uses of trigger as a verb (_triggeren_) in Dutch.  
(2) I also think it may often be used in a negative context but is that the meaning? I think it means something like 'unleash", like "cause", but automatically or something, unwanted or unawares... But of course it is more often used in a negative context but not pejorative as such...


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## Red Arrow

The verb "triggeren" is neutral in most contexts, but on social media it has a specific meaning, at least in English. More here: Urban Dictionary: Triggered Dutch and Flemish people sometimes copy English use of words on the internet.

It should be immediately clear from context, but we are not given any.


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## ThomasK

Good Lord, I was not aware of that. I  recognize the Original meaning, but I fully agree: this is a new meaning. Thanks for the hint!


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## bamia

It's mostly used in an ironical fashion. The word _triggered _is usually hurled towards those who dissent, implying that they're faint of heart (easily triggered). This usage of triggered by Dutch speakers is by no means odd or peculiar. It's informal though, you can't use _triggered _in a formal setting. I suppose you could use it in everyday conversation if you really wanted to, its usage isn't restricted to social media and/or written communication in general. I think Dutch speakers adopted the term because it was used in debates in the Anglosphere about trigger-free 'safe spaces' on university campuses.


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## Frost_at_Midnight

Thank you everyone.  This has turned out to be a fascinating Thread.  By not repeating the sentence I found it in, it's promted a discussion rather than a simple translation!  "Anglosphere"  new word for me


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