Weltschmerz. So that's what I have
Weltschmerz...
I suffer from weltschmerz. I discovered this while watching the final rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee (as if it isn't depressing enough that I was actually watching this).
The definition(s) is as follows:
1 : mental depression or apathy caused by comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state
2 : a mood of sentimental sadness
So there it is...
Ah, the good ole days. Sigh. I need to cheer up and just walk it off.
posted by Kerry @ 8:27 PM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
Oh Kerry you are so cool. This is, sadly, a useful word for my vocabulary also.
I read an article the other day in which the author commented that our word "cranky" is derived from the German word "krank" which means "illness". May I say that I find this fitting and am grateful to the author for giving me an excuse for my current mood.
The Germans have such great words!
My hairstylist had a book on her counter this weekend that's just come out: "The Meaning of Tingo: And Other Extraordinary Words from Around the World" by Adam Jacot de Boinod. Examples (from Amazon):
nakhur (Persian) — a camel that won't give milk until her nostrils are tickled.
areodjarekput (Inuit) — to exchange wives for a few days only.
marilopotes (ancient Greek) — a gulper of coaldust.
ilunga (Tshiluba, Congo) — someone who is ready to forgive any abuse for the first time, to tolerate it a second time, but never a third time.
cigerci (Turkish) — a seller of liver and lungs.
seigneur-terrasse (French) — a person who spends much time but little money in a cafe (literally: a terrace lord).
Torschlusspanik (German) — the fear of diminishing opportunities as one gets older. (Literally: gate-closing panic; often applied to women worried about being too old to have children.)
pana po'o (Hawaiian) — to scratch your head in order to remember something.
waterponie (Afrikaans) — Jet Ski.
I hope this gives you some respite from your Weltschmerz! :)
That is a great word, and I can definately identify with it, but it might not be the best thing to actually have. I hope that you find something wonderful to take you out of it soon!
Let me know if you want to talk ever.
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