|
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3
stranger
|
|
stranger
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3 |
Is there a word that means "a person who delights in the misfortune of others?"
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
you want a word for the person who exhibits schadenfreude? (or in English, perhaps, epicaricacy?)
I would call this person a sadist.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385 |
I would call this person a sadist
In general usage, I believe, a sadist is someone who enjoys inflicting pain, physical or psychological, on someone else.
What might be wanted here is a more generalized, 'innocent' enjoyment of another person's misfortune which celebrities and politicians often complain about when they fall from grace.
Your word "epicaricacy" is a good word, tsuwm, altho a bit of a mouthful. If "epicaricacy" means "taking pleasure in others' misfortune", then someone who takes such pleasure is an "epicaricacist" [which is even more of a mouthful].
Perhaps a new coinage is in order.
Taking inspiration from the word "killjoy" [meaning "party pooper"], how about: "gloomjoy".
Thus, a person who delights in the misfortunes of celebrities (and others) as reported in the news [and often fabricated for their peculiar delectation in gossip magazines] is a "gloomjoy".
Judging from the popularity of gossip magazines like the National Enquirer, I fathom there are a lot more gloomjoys around than there are sadists. That's a good thing ... I guess. [It probably keeps some gloomjoys from evolving into sadists.]
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3
stranger
|
|
stranger
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3 |
Thanks. I knew I came to the right place.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Schadenfraulein and Schadenfrauboy. It's stretch, but, hey, it's early.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385 |
Schadenfraulein and SchadenfrauboyGood one, Wordwind. People who haze college freshman are known as Schadenfratboys.  re "It's stretch, but, hey, it's early."Hey, it's always a good thing to stretch first thing in the morning. We humans could learn a thing or two from cats -- and not just about cat naps. At Cat Tech everyone practices catastenics before they make a feline to the cateteria for breakfast. They call it the pause which refreshes.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529 |
What's a word that means "delight in another person's misfortune"?
Thanks. I knew I came to the right place.__________________________________________________ Uh, maybe I'm just a little bit overly suspicious but...uh, what exactly does a person named Darkpond mean when he says I've come to the right place? _________________
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385 |
what exactly does a person named Darkpond mean when
he says I've come to the right place?The enigma is likely to remain an enigma, themilum. Darkpond can't see his own reflection. Aside to Darkpond: That's not really a reflection on you. I'm just trying to be funny. If you don't enjoy my sense of humor, don't worry about it. No-else does either.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,529 |
What good luck! I am signing onto a thread that has 7 replies and 77 views...777. Now Darkpond, don't you go take Plutarch's proverbs too literally. On occassion he says things just for the effect! But on the whole he's a pretty good fellow, his problem is the same as many guys who have been bright since birth - he thinks in absolutes. For example look over in Fun & Games where all the kats and Chicks are singing and laughing and playing Hogwash. Do you see Plutarch over there joining in the fun? Of course not. Plutarch will tell you that he doesn't join the frivolities because he is not wanted over there, and there-in lies the crux - he is right, some don't want him over there, but some do. Meanwhile Plutarch plays the martyr...overtly. Invertly Plutarch leads a tilt at the windmills of his own very good mind.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385 |
there-in lies the crux - he is right, some don't want him over there, but some do I guess that's my crux to bear, themilum. Dear Darkpond, if you think this is a mixed review of Plutarch's virtues, I should warn you in advance [as a "Stranger"], it doesn't get any better than this. In fact, some people think themilum is my sock puppet. But themilum insists it isn't true.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385 |
tilt at the windmills of his own very good mindTilting at the windmills of his mind. That could be your best line yet, themilum. I know it's confusing, themilum. I never go where I am not wanted, but, once there, the more fervently I am wished away, the more fervently I wish to stay. A martyr without his principles is like a crusader without his crusade. The only way you can kill a martyr is with kindness.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
I would call this person "my son." *sigh*
My seven-year-old has been testing boundaries (as usual) by using obscenities, and has suffered the consequences.
Last night, following an incident in which he aggravated his older, autistic, brother and then enjoyed the resulting meltdown, I removed him from the scene and marched him upstairs, declaring that I'd "had enough of the schadenfreude." Son was shocked at my language. Could you hear my eyes rolling from here?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
Son was shocked at my language. Heh heh--that's the way, Sparteye--keep 'em guessing!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,385 |
Is there a word that means "a person who delights in the misfortune of others?"There is, Darkpond. But I'm not going to tell you. BTW over in Wordcraft, they have taken up the cause of convincing OED to recognize "epicaricacy" as a word. So far, OED has demurred. Do you think they might be taking some kind of epicaricastic pleasure in that?
|
|
|
|
|
