schadenfreude

[George Elgin, Suzette Haden Elgin]

You're quite right -- my problem is my shamefully weak German. If I now
understand the word better, it would be possible for a sadistic colleague
who had brains enough *not* to make suggestions from so weak a knowledge
base to feel schadenfreude about my situation. I have it right now, I hope?


I'm going to keep thinking, though, now that you've straightened me out,
because something in the back corners of my mental attics keeps insisting
that English does have an equivalent...

Suzette