On Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:05:26 +0100, "Michael Kuettner"
> wrote:

>
>Ophelia schrieb :
>> Dave Bugg wrote:
>>> Michael Kuettner wrote:
>>>>>
>>>> I always listen carefully what people born in the country I go to,
>>>> tell me. So I never had that look on my face.
>>>> But it's priceless to watch (schadenfreude ;-)).
>>>
>>> I wish the English language had a comparable word to schadenfreude.
>>> It fits so perfectly with what it describes :-)
>>
>> Taking pleasure in someones misfortune?
>No, not exactly.
>Schadenfreude comes into play if something happens to a person who should
>have known better and could have prevented it.
>An example : If a formula I race-driver totals his car during a race -
>no schadenfreude.
>If he wraps his car around a tree while on normal streets - schadenfreude.
>
>Cheers,
>
>Michael Kuettner
>

no, i think ophelia is right, at least as used by english speakers.
no requirement that they 'should have known better.'

my favorite comment on the word was by a commenter on some political
blog, referring to the unseemly glee at larry craig's misfortunes:

'it's not schadenfreude if the *******s deserve it.'

your pal,
blake