# Is There a Word in German for This?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-german-for-this/111958>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 2, 2002, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-german-for-this/111958 "2002-06-02T00:26:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Gregor\_Samsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@Gregor\_Samsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gregor_Samsa)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-german-for-this/111958/21 "2002-06-03T16:52:53Z")

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“Schadenfreude” may well have been the word. Thanks.

“Love-hate relationship” isn’t exactly the concept I was looking for.

Also, just to clarify: I wasn’t necessarily going to use the word in the paper - researching the paper just reminded me that I might have run across such a word in the past. In other words, I thought that there was an existing, widely-accepted word that I simply couldn’t think of at the time. I was being curious more than pretentious or arrogant (I think - or maybe not.)

Thanks again, everyone.

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**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2002, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-german-for-this/111958/22 "2002-06-03T23:42:51Z")

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Sorry Pipeliner if I was too hard on you! Actually I’ve been getting quite a laugh thinking about “Canadian Schadenfreude;” it sounds like something from Saturday Night Live!

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**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2002, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-german-for-this/111958/23 "2002-06-04T01:07:18Z")

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Forget about using _compounded_ English words; why not just say that the Can-Ams’ feelings or perceptions of the native populations were contradictory or conflicting, or were marked by ambivalence, uncertainty, and indecisiveness?

😃

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**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2002, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-word-in-german-for-this/111958/24 "2002-06-04T20:06:45Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by pulykamell \*  
> **Yeah, it certainly sounds like the word you may have encountered was “Schadenfreude,” but it doesn’t really explain the concept you’ve given. Schadenfreude is basically taking pleasure in another person’s pain or misfortune.**

Oh, like when a clown dies.

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