Soul Searching

A very good friend of mine named Ronald is afflicted with the terrible German expat disease of self-loathing and national pride (which manifests much more like a supreme defensiveness…). Whenever someone points out the word “schadenfreude,” which means “to take pleasure in the misfortune of others.” The reference is usually trying to establish an example of the two views towards life that each country has (anyone ever heard of the Order Police?). He points out - albeit slightly rabidly - that the same word exists in the English language (although you can’t find it in the OED ;^), “epicaricacy.”

The difference I would point out is that the German word is in common use, whereas its English counterpart is obscure and obsolete…

The entry (yes he keeps a database in order to ensure complete accuracy - how German! LOL) he sent me is as follows:

epicaricacy die Schadenfreude taking pleasure in others’ misfortune
Mrs. Byrne’s Dictionary of
Unusual… Words
and
[Nathan Bailey's
An Universal Etymological English Dictionary, which
is a very olde dictionary indeed (1721):]

2. Die Anteilnahme der Nebenmenschen an unserem Schicksal ist
Schadenfreude, Zudringlichkeit und Besserwisserei in wechselndem
Gemisch. [Arthur Schnitzler, Buch der Sprüche und Bedenken]

Epicharikaky - from the Greek words or roots for
“upon”, “joy”, and “evil”: “A Joy at the Misfortunes
of others”.