Word of the day…
Oct 24th, 2006 by Simon
Is it just the planner in me that gets a kick out of words – weird words, new words, or even just lovely plain old words? Or is it a tad sad?!
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Anyway, saw this one today…
Weltschmerz
(Pronounced: VELT-shmairts)
Meaning: A mental depression or apathy caused by comparison of the actual state of the world with an ideal state
Nice, although somewhat Germanic in tone, and still beaten by this beauty:
(Pronounced: LOH-tus-land)
Meaning:
1 : a place inducing contentment especially through offering an idyllic living situation
2 : a state or an ideal marked by contentment often achieved through self-indulgence
Both courtesy of Merriam-Webster – subscribe here.
Weltschmerz is a fabulous find. I love the Germans for having words for these things. Like Schadenfraude. It’s very inclusive – you can recognise something you didn’t even know had a term, and then feel better that it’s universal. Or at least shared enough to be called something.
[...] Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m not suggesting that we should never use analogies or any words that are more precise or interesting. BUT, the trap of buzzwords and 10 cent specials that nobody actually understands is a huge one. And, something that we should all be avoiding carefully every day. As mentioned below, I love a good word, but that doesn’t mean we need to use them in everyday conversations. [...]
Don’t get me wrong either. I’m not planning to use Weltschmerz in my presentations. Just think it’s nice.
[...] Naturally, I had to enter Lotusland! [...]