I subscribe to the Merriam-Webster word of the day program. This came today. You all confirm what it says. I took the ambiguous route. I thought it might describe the events that occur so often here in these lists: someone asks for help which is somewhat troublesome to provide, someone takes the trouble to find the answer, and both enjoy the transfer of information. One obtains enjoyment from the trouble of another. I guess I'm having a "senior moment." The Word of the Day for June 26 is: schadenfreude \SHAH-dun-froy-duh\ (noun, often capitalized) : enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others Example sentence: "Bathed in summer sun (a temporary glitch, no doubt), you can't help feeling a touch of schadenfreude when reading weather reports from Vostok, Antarctica . . . temperature today -54C." (Robbie Hudson, [London] _Sunday Times_, June 3, 2001) Did you know? "Schadenfreude" is a compound of the German nouns "Schaden," meaning "harm, and "Freude," meaning joy, so it makes sense that "schadenfreude" means joy over some harm -- or misfortune -- suffered by another. "What a fearful thing is it that any language should have a word expressive of the pleasure which men feel at the calamities of others," wrote Richard Trench of Dublin, an archbishop with literary predilections, of the German "Schadenfreude" in 1852; perhaps it was just as well he didn't live to see the word embraced by English speakers before the century was out. ---------------- Brought to you by Merriam-Webster Inc. http://www.Merriam-Webster.com ---------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "Klaus Dieter Cook" <kcook@signalgraphics-hou.com> To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 10:03 AM Subject: Re: [GERMAN-LIFE] schadenfreude > This is another one of those German words that does not have a corresponding > word in English. My definition of this would be: Having joy or delight in > the misfortune of others. > > Klaus Dieter Cook > Houston, Texas > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Stanley A. Wickman" <cownabor@htdconnect.com> > To: <GERMAN-LIFE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 7:50 AM > Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] schadenfreude > > > > Is there a German-speaking subscriber who would care to define the subject > > word in English or in German? > > > > I want to compare the popular usage by a native to the definition given in > > Merriam-Webster's 10th Collegiate Dictionary. > > > > Stan from Livonia, Michigan > > new e-mail address > > cownabor@htdconnect.com > > > > > > > > ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > > To UNSUBSCRIBE from this mail list send a message to: > > GERMAN-LIFE-L-request@rootsweb.com and in the message add the word > UNSUBSCRIBE and send. > > > > ============================== > > Visit Ancestry's Library - The best collection of family history > > learning and how-to articles on the Internet. > > http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library > > > > > ==== GERMAN-LIFE Mailing List ==== > GERMAN-FOOD-L@rootsweb.com to subscribe send a message to: > GERMAN-FOOD-L-request@rootsweb.com > > ============================== > Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp > Search over 2500 databases with one easy query! >