{"id":6242,"date":"2015-04-15T10:17:56","date_gmt":"2015-04-15T10:17:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=6242"},"modified":"2017-11-20T15:01:36","modified_gmt":"2017-11-20T15:01:36","slug":"obscure-german-sorrows-weltschmerz-and-lebensmude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/obscure-german-sorrows-weltschmerz-and-lebensmude\/","title":{"rendered":"Obscure German Sorrows: Weltschmerz and Lebensm\u00fcde"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Schmerz\"<\/a>

Foto von dierkschaefer on flickr.com under CC BY 2.0<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

Today\u2019s untranslatable German words post was inspired by John Koenig\u2019s project, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. This \u2018dictionary\u2019 fills gaps in the English language for feelings that were never given a name. One of the ones I came across on there had a German name: Altschmerz.<\/p>\n

\u201cAltschmerz:<\/h2>\n

weariness with the same old issues that you\u2019ve always had\u2014the same boring flaws and anxieties you\u2019ve been gnawing on for years, which leaves them soggy and tasteless and inert, with nothing interesting left to think about, nothing left to do\u00a0but spit them out and wander off to the backyard, ready to dig up some fresher pain you might have buried long ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

From The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Altschmerz<\/strong> is a compound noun made from the words alt<\/strong> (old) and Schmerz<\/strong> (pain). It therefore translates to \u2018old pain\u2019<\/strong>. This word does not<\/em> exist in the German language!<\/p>\n

A very similar word that does exist in German, however, is Weltschmerz<\/strong><\/em>. This is a word that we don’t have in English, so I\u2019m going to break it down for you now.<\/p>\n

Weltschmerz<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"in<\/a>

Photo by caseydavid on flickr.com under CC BY-ND 2.0<\/p><\/div>\n

What does Weltschmerz mean?<\/strong>
\nWeltschmerz is the depressing feeling you get when comparing the actual state of the world to the picture you have in your head of how the world should be, and knowing that the picture in your head can never exist.<\/p>\n

What does Weltschmerz literally translate to?<\/strong>
\nWeltschmerz is a compound noun made from the words Welt (world) and Schmerz (pain). It therefore translates to \u2018world pain\u2019.<\/p>\n

How would you use Weltschmerz in a sentence?<\/strong>
\nWas kann ich gegen Weltschmerz tun? \u2013 What can I do to stop Weltschmerz?<\/p>\n

What is the nearest English equivalent to Weltschmerz?<\/strong>
\nWorld-weariness. It is also sometimes compared to a state of depression.<\/p>\n

While we\u2019re on the topic of obscure sorrows, here\u2019s a bonus word!<\/p>\n

Lebensm\u00fcde<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Tag<\/a>

Photo by julienbelli on flickr.com under CC BY 2.0<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

What does Lebensm\u00fcde mean?\u00a0<\/strong>
\nIt describes the feeling of being tired of life. It is either used for people who are fed up and depressed, or for people who\u2019ve done something out of character as a way to \u2018spice up\u2019 their dull lives (they may have been lebensm\u00fcde as a reason for doing something out of character).<\/p>\n

What does Lebensm\u00fcde literally translate to?<\/strong>
\nLebensm\u00fcde is a compound noun made up of the words Leben (life) and m\u00fcde (tired). It therefore translates to \u2018life tired\u2019.<\/p>\n

How would you use Lebensm\u00fcde in a sentence?<\/strong>
\nBist du lebensm\u00fcde? \u2013 Are you lebensm\u00fcde?<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the nearest English equivalent to Lebensm\u00fcde?<\/strong>
\nLike Weltschmerz, its English equivalents are world-weary, depressed,<\/em> fed up, <\/em>and maybe restless <\/em>and dissatisfied<\/em>, too…<\/p>\n

John Koenig should look to German to fill the rest of the gaps in the English language. There is a word for everything in German.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Today\u2019s untranslatable German words post was inspired by John Koenig\u2019s project, The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. This \u2018dictionary\u2019 fills gaps in the English language for feelings that were never given a name. One of the ones I came across on there had a German name: Altschmerz. \u201cAltschmerz: weariness with the same old issues that…<\/p>\n

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