沈黙

[Riccardo91]

Dear Japanese forum,

I would like to know more about the word 沈黙 when used to mean 活動をせずにじっとしていること。
I'm finding it quite often in military contest, used to confirm that a target is dead/has stopped moving.

I realized that in these cases there's always some electronic device involved that monitors the status of the target (life signs and such), and I was wondering if it's casual or not. Is the target "silent" because there are no more signs coming from him that can be tracked?

Let's say we have a sniper shooting down an enemy. If he confirms by eyes that the target isn't moving anymore, would he use 沈黙 when referring to him?

Thank you!

 

[kanadaaa]

I was wondering if it's casual or not.

Definitely not. You should think of it as military jargon. No one uses the word that way in daily conversations.
The literal meaning of 沈黙 is silence.
So I don't believe it's necessary that there's a tracking device and the like.
If the target takes no more action like shooting you back, you can say "the target is now quiet". This is probably how the word is used in those contexts.

Let's say we have a sniper shooting down an enemy. If he confirms by eyes that the target isn't moving anymore, would he use 沈黙 when referring to him?

He might say so.

 

[Riccardo91]

Got it, it's more clear now. Thank you!