Die Angst vorm Weltschmerz

[I've written that text Friday evening but as I've already written enough that day and Saturday too I decided to to post it today automatically in case I don't manage to be online due to my soccer duties...]

In the morning I continued reading Tuesday’s newspaper (one paper for a whole week, that’s economical..) and finally, three days later, I also read the article about the Oilers-Hurricanes-couple Florian mentioned…

On that same page I found an article which contained two very interesting terms. Just to show you that it’s not only the poor German language that’s being invaded and polluted by evil English terms but that we’ve managed at least a few exports too. First the definitions:

Weltschmerz
Pronunciation: 'velt-"shmerts
Etymology: German, from Welt world + Schmerz pain
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
(1)

angst
Pronunciation: 'ä[ng](k)st, 'a[ng](k)st
Etymology: Danish & German; Danish, from German
: a feeling of anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity
(2)

And here are the two quotes from the article:

“The [window banners in my neighbourhood] have begun to fade like the flag on my mom's car. They have begun to fade like the Oilers tattoos on the chubby cheeks of the boy on my bus, burying his head in a Harry Potter book to remedy his heartbreak. His weltschmerz. My weltschmerz. Your weltschmerz.“

“Admit it: somewhere, deep inside, you enjoy the angst. It reminds you, today, that you are alive.”(3)

Mentioning this I remember another episode closely related to this issue. A couple of weeks ago, the finals of the “CanWest CanSpell National Spelling Bee” – according to the Edmonton Journal “the world's most prestigious bee” (spelling bee = Buchstabierwettbewerb) – took place in Washington D.C. Canada's top speller was Finola Hackett, a 14-years-old girl from Alberta. In the end she was “just” second because she had problems with exactly the word “weltschmerz”.(4)

Afterwards various letters to the editor (which I unfortunately can’t find online) praised her and claimed she would have deserved victory. One person pointed out, that this word actually isn’t used at all in German. Another jeered it was a disgrace that the Americans needed an outdated German term in order to steal the title from that brave and excellent Canadian girl who had deserved it. (What they did of course not mention is that the word with which Katharine Close from New Jersey won the title was “ursprache”(4) – which, I think, is even less frequently used!)
(1) Merriam-Webster Online, http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/weltschmerz, accessed 23 June 2006.
(2) Merriam-Webster Online, http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/angst, accessed 23 June 2006.
(3) Todd Babiak: “Oilers gave us great happiness - and the gift of angst. All the best and most authentic things have a core of sadness about them”, in: Edmonton Journal, 20 June 2006, http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=70984836-99d5-4923-935c-6ec0dde3c15e, accessed 23 June 2006
(4) Alexandra Zabjek: "Defeated by 'weltschmerz' in the Scripps final round", http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=48eb0039-d76f-4357-928d-1ed9804a7cd5&k=8997
Zitali (Gast) - 2006/06/26 10:06

Oh, yes! I do remember very well the word "angst" from New Orleans...
But you should have heard an Italian pronounce the word "Weltanschauung". Seems that they don't have it in Italian so they use the German word. Very, very hard to understand!
As "winning-word" for the next spelling contest I would propose: CanWest CanSpell National Spelling Bee. Seems to be a Zungenbrecher!

little brother (Gast) - 2006/06/26 19:21

Nooooooo!!!!!!

I have to let of steam. *Beep-Beep-Beep-Beeeeeeeeeep* italy. Sorry Zita but I hate them. Of course only the italian team :).My poor Australian fellows :( As big my hope as big my sadness.So I have to go back to work ( how students call it ) Other person will call it "air one's feet" ( maybe Jochei )
ciao Dominik

little brother (Gast) - 2006/06/26 19:22

add

This is Weltschmerz ;)
relationes - 2006/06/27 06:14

Shared Weltschmerz

Das einzige Gute ist, dass, sowie sich meine Brav-Teams gegenseitig ausschalten (und damit gewaehrleisten, dass zumindest eines im Halbfinale ist), das selbe mit den Boes-Teams passiert, Deutschland gegen Argentinien, der Sieger gegen Italien - ich werd ja noch zum Argentinien-Fan! Uebrigens Dominik, ist Dir schon aufgefallen, wenn man frueher die Barcelona-Spieler-Nationen unterstuetzte, musste man immer fuer Holland sein (und ein bisschen Brasilien und Spanien), dieses mal ueberwiegt fast Argentinien..
donaublogger - 2006/08/17 12:54

Sehr schön! Besonders gefallen mir die Hörproben für weltschmerz und angst bei Merriam-Webster :-))))
Hilf mir mal, mit der Phonetik hab ich's net so: Wofür stehen die zwei Punkte über'm a? Für einen langgezogenen Vokal?

Quote

Wer die Enge seiner Heimat ermessen will, reise. Wer die Enge seiner Zeit ermessen will, studiere Geschichte. (Kurt Tucholsky, 1890-1935)

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