Epicaricacy

Swedish has a word, skadeglädje, which means the same as the German schadenfreude.  English also uses the word schadenfreude:

 

I always thought this was because English did not have an equivalent word. But it seems there is one, with Greek roots:

I am surmising we use schadenfreude because Anglo-Saxon words are more direct than their Greek and Latin counterparts. Schadenfreude also sounds better, I think!

Author: Janet Carr

Fashion, beauty and animal loving language consultant from South Africa living in Stockholm, Sweden.

One thought

  1. I agree. Schadenfreude sounds better, but I always thought it was “enjoying someone else’s well deserved bad fortune.” For example, if you fall and someone laughs, then they fall, and you enjoy their well deserved bad fortune.

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