FW: semantic microshift: "compassion"

[Jonathan Lighter]

That was an informal "report," more of a quasi-informative comment during the customary happy-talk banter that makes _F & F_ the "Daily Show" of real news programs.   "Fair and Balanced," _F & F_ anchors used to blame "liberals" and "the mainstream media" for _all_ our woes, but since 9/11 just _most_ of them.  Fun!

   Sean is correct that "sympathy" is hardly a "negative" word in the way that, say, "contempt" is.  What I mean is that it seems to have acquired some significant "interference" from negative contexts; this hasn't happened at all to "compassion."  (CAUTION: The subjectiveness of these observations should be obvious.)

  My impression is that "empathy" has been almost _routinely_ used for "sympathy" (as bestowed on persons) in educated speech since the early '80s, i.e., shortly before the appearance of "empath" Deanna Troi on _Star Trek: The Next Generation."

  JL



  Seán Fitzpatrick <grendel.jjf at VERIZON.NET> wrote:
  ---------------------- Information from the mail header ----------------------vSender: American Dialect Society
Poster: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Se=E1n_Fitzpatrick?=
Subject: FW: semantic microshift: "compassion"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My first question would be where in a news report is there a place for =
the
news reader=92s feelings. =20

Has sympathy picked up the negative connotations of pity? I haven=92t =
noticed
it. In the examples you give, the negativity comes not from sympathy =
but
from withholding sympathy. One can still say an actor gave a =
sympathetic
portrayal, or a critic a sympathetic review, or a diplomat a sympathetic
description of the problems besetting poor Tazanubia without suggesting
condescension or insincerity. =20

=20

Empathy has certainly been devalued, being used to mean sympathy, while =
the
dictionaries still document that it once meant an =93intellectual
identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, =
or
attitudes of another=94, in other words, something just this side of a
mind-meld.

=20

I think the co-anchor should have said, =93I understand their intent, =
but=94,
especially since he was expressing the conclusion of an analysis. Maybe
this is just a variation of the (mush-) mind-set that replaces =93I =
think=94
with =93I feel=94.

=20

Se=E1n Fitzpatrick
Baghdad Lutetia Matriceque delendi sunt
=
http://www.logomachon.blogspot.com/

-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Lighter [mailto:wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM]=20
Sent: Wednesday, 13 December, 2006 09:02
Subject: semantic microshift: "compassion"

=20

An _F & F_ anchor was reporting that many American Muslims are shaving =
their
beards, putting aside head scarves, etc., so as to avoid ethnic
discrimination. A co-anchor then said, "I have compassion for that, but
wouldn't it be better [etc.]."

=20

This sounds very weird. "Compassion" is much too strong here. The
"unmarked" word would be "sympathetic," but I believe that "sympathy" =
has
attracted negative connotations of condescension and even insincerity,
"empathy" being generally preferred when the feeling is the focus.

=20

And cf. the negative feel of common "sympathy" utterances: "I have no
sympathy for that...." "You won't get any sympathy from me," "Just =
looking
for sympathy," "A sympathy card should be enough." I may have mentioned =
the
WWII military saying, "If you're looking for sympathy, it's in the
dictionary...." "Tea and sympathy" sounds wimpy and inconsequential.

=20

"Compassion" often figures in definitions of "sympathy," but this =
instance
underscoresa possibly widening semantic distinction.

=20

Or is it just niggly me ?

=20

JL

=20

=20

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