Who hasn’t gone into peals of laughter when someone slips on a banana peel? Fortunately, we outgrow this stage. But, maybe not. Particularly when a person whom we don’t like slips on the peel!
Haven’t we been happy when someone overtakes us in a tearing hurry, and we find the person stuck at the stop signal? The smirk turns into a full-throated chuckle if the vehicle develops a snag!
Well, the Germans had a word for it.
Schadenfreude (pronounced SHAH-den-froy-duh). The pleasure we take in the misfortune of others is inevitable, normal too, and surprisingly, at times, useful. It all depends on what we do with it. Everyone experiences malicious joy now and then, just like how we feel envy at the good fortune of others.
The term “Etymology” is the study of the origin of words. The practice of etymology is uncovering the truth by tracing the root of a word and its evolution thereafter.
The dictionary meaning of Schadenfreude(n.) is: “malicious joy in the misfortunes of others.” It literally means, “damage-joy or harm-joy” from schaden “damage, harm, injury” + freude “joy,” from Old High German frewida “joy.
But then Richard C Trench in his 1852, ‘On the study of words,’ quoted, “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; for the existence of the word bears testimony to the existence of the thing.
Whether we like it or not, schadenfreude is widespread, perhaps a cross-cultural human universal feeling. When it started being used in mainstream English, it was even anglicized with a lowercase, as opposed to the German way of writing nouns with a capital letter.
If you experience schadenfreude, does it mean you’re a bad person? As The New York Times put it in its report on Professor Smith’s research: “So long as it remains passive, schadenfreude can enhance our self-worth and serve as a reminder that even the most enviable people are fallible — just like us.” It’s part of being human.
In both envy and schadenfreude, we are the targets of another’s vicarious emotion without having anything to do with it. In one, it is provoked by our good fortune, in the other by our misfortune. Both are here to stay, the result of living and working in a community. Researchers have found there are three driving forces behind schadenfreude: aggression, rivalry, and justice. It pays to keep a watch on this emotion so that it does not translate to action.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/hidden-motives/201401/schadenfreude-and-envy
https://www.snexplores.org/article/malicious-joy-schadenfreude-emotion
https://www.etymonline.com/word/schadenfreude
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/schadenfreude
image credit: AI
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Sameeksha Reads.
Well written, mam! Like always!
Thank you so much Mithru
Schadenfreude – How you discover such words? Mind Blowing …. But I have a question mind? Do we Indians use such tough words in English literature or in daily life? Might be NO and that’s why might be I am not familarize with this word. Thanks a lot for improving my vocabulary collection.
No, we don’t use it on a daily basis. But I heard this word is suddenly becoming popular, so I had to use it. Maybe not among the need-to-know, but good to know!
I liked your explanation, but I liked your main picture even more. It was nice to know how it was popularised. I haven’t watched the Simpsons much, but maybe I should give it a try now.
I too haven’t watched it but when I researched for this word, heard it was used and I liked it too much not to miss mentioning it here
Schadenfreude is one of my favourite words. Though I get very few opportunities to feel it 🙂 I love how you have explained it.
Even I love it. It rolls so well around our tongue, N’est-ce pas?
A new word added to my word bank: Schadenfreude. Thank you, Chandrika. I can sense that you do not like the thought of enjoying another person’s misfortune. I feel the same. Laughing at someone slipping on a banana peel comes out involuntarily, I guess. But if it is a major monetary or emotional loss, Schadenfreude seems to show how low humans can fall.
I enjoy how you take a simple word and open up a whole conversation around it. Linking language with what’s happening around us today makes the piece both interesting and relevant.
Sometimes it is just that we like to see someone who is quite a pain being served just dessert! I don’t like banana peel humour but can’t say I have been good at all times!
A very new word with a somewhat goofy meaning. Laughing at someone who slips on a banana peel is not a pleasant thought for me, though.
What an amazing explanation of schadenfreude… this is a unique yet so universally understood once broken dowm…..
Trust Germans to create words for feelings one wouldn’t be comfortable agreeing to. Accept it or not, one does derive joy from someone else’s misfortune. If only for a few laughs!
I’m going to use it in some conversation soon to sound cool! 😀
One of my favourite words, even though it means something not-so-pleasant. Moreover, I automatically laugh when I slip and fall too. 🙂
I loved your explanation. Your storytelling skills come through beautiful even for non-fiction pieces.
Nice. I was first trying to practice how to pronounce. Beautiful word to pronounce.The simpson part that was included was brilliant
What!!!! First of all, I can’t even pronounce this word correct in first few attempts. In Marthi we have a similar word called “विघ्नसंतोषी” (person getting malicious joy by putting others in pain/misfortune.)
Hmm…the traffic thing, yes, I have experienced many times. Other than that, I don’t think I ever feel joy at the harm of others. But I like the word. The only thing is, I should be able to recall it when I actually have to use it. My memory often fails me when I need it the most.
thats an interesting word! but oh boy what a tongue twister! indeed, Germans seem to have a word for everything.
Reading about schadenfreude made me laugh and reflect. It’s funny how universal these little human quirks really are!
What an extremely intriguing take on this topic! And I love the cover picture!
Omg .. I totally caught myself laughing at the banana peel, and realizing we all feel a little schadenfreude sometimes. Now made me think differently about those little “oops” moments we secretly enjoy.
Really loved reading this. I love getting into the origin of words and this was very informative. Especially how it links to some of our base instincts.