What should you say to someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one? When a person is experiencing a loss like that, it matters less what you say and more that you show up in the first place. Non-verbal communication of your sympathy can be far...
A podcast listener in Buenos Aires, Argentina, wonders about the differences between the words compassion, sympathy, and empathy. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “The Differences Between Compassion, Empathy, and Sympathy” Hello...
A married couple has invented a lovely word to mean “I sympathize” that doesn’t sound quite so stilted. They simply say, salma. It’s an example of the private language couples develop. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Salma” Hello...
We’ve talked on the show before about the language of grief and the use of euphemisms like, “I’m sorry for your loss,” or, passed away. A retired Middlebury College history professor wrote us to say that it’s all very well to be against euphemisms...
Dionne Warwick n.— «If someone has had “a Dionne Warwick,” the listener should definitely try to be sympathetic as they have had a heart-breaking event. Warwick was famed for having written and sung Heartbreaker.» —“Revealed: how to chat up a...
