• @HardlightCereal
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    10 months ago

    Many languages lack words for certain concepts. For example, english lacks a word for the joy you feel at another’s pain. You have to go to Germany in order to name Schadenfreude. However, English is perfectly capable of describing what schadenfreude is. I sometimes become nonverbal due to my autism. In the moment, there is no way I could possibly describe what I am feeling. But that is a limitation of my temporarily panicked mind, not a limitation of language itself. Sufficiently gifted writers and poets have described things once thought indescribable. I believe language can describe anything with a book long enough and a writer skilled enough.

    • Xero
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      110 months ago

      I’m not a native English speaker so I might be wrong, but isn’t “sadism” also covers “schadenfreude”?

      • @HardlightCereal
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        210 months ago

        No, schaudenfreude is an emotion, sadism is a personality trait