Sunday, 8 May 2016

word choice - Difference between 妬【ねた】ましい and 羨【うらや】ましい


Considering "How to define 羨ましい?", it does not seem that 羨【うらや】ましい conveys a strong intensity of jealousy.


How does 妬【ねた】ましい compare to 羨【うらや】ましい then?


Does 妬【ねた】ましい convey a stronger sense of jealously than the "I wish I were you" kind? How is 妬【ねた】ましい used differently from 羨【うらや】ましい?


Also as an aside, has Shakespeare's concept of the green-eyed monster influenced the Japanese language for 緑【みどり】の目【め】 to be considered as a concept for jealousy?



Answer



As far as I know, 妬ましい has more of a negative connotation. Like an "evil" jealousy. I know in my Japanese Bible, it's often used in talking about "coveting" or "being greedy for". This dictionary entry includes




悪感情がこめられている場合が多い



Whereas 羨ましい has more of a neutral, or even positive nuance. "You're going to Disneyland next month? I'm so jealous!"


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