Wondrous Words Wednesday is a fun meme hosted by Kathy at Bermudaonion's Weblog where you can share new words you've come across in your reading or just spotlight words you love.
My word this week comes from THE CHAPERONE by Laura Moriarty:
Schadenfreude -
"I wondered if you were familiar with the term schadenfreude. Pleasure in the misfortunes of others? We don't really have a similar word in our language, and it seems to me we should."
oOoOoOo
And there's the definition! Deriving pleasure in the misfortunes of others. It's a German "loanword" because there's not an exact English translation.
I've tried to come up with similar English words. Maybe gloating? However gloating implies that something wonderful has happened to you, and you're being smug about it, or it's an obnoxious expression of self-satisfaction.
Then I thought, maybe sadism? But that word implies you enjoy being cruel or inflicting the pain, more "hands on" than schadenfreude.
What do you think? Are there other similar words?
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There is a reason the German term is used in English: it's untranslatable! Trust the Germans to come up with words for the tiniest differences in feelings on earth :-) Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI've seen schadenfreude several times but had no idea of it's meaning. It's nor a very pleasant word to be sure. Thanks for playing along today!
ReplyDeleteI certainly recognise this word, but always forget it's meaning. Thanks for helping me to try and remember.
ReplyDelete"Loanwords" are so interesting. Thanks for highlighting this one!
ReplyDeleteI have this book on my desk right now. Hurray - I'm one up on new-to-me words.n Thanks. I like that one.
ReplyDeleteThat is a mouth full! I am not sure I could actually pronounce it!
ReplyDeleteI definitely can't think of a similiar word in English...no wonder we need the loan!
ReplyDeleteo.o I like it, now for the real challenge, trying to use it in a sentence over dinner and shocking my husband the crossword king.
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