Humans share dozens of universal emotions

[UM-Bot]

There are at least 30 facial expressions for emotions that can be recognized anywhere in the world.

While we tend to take it for granted that we can determine if someone is happy, sad or excited no matter what part of the world they are from, not all emotions can be universally understood.

Read More: http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/268329/humans-share-dozens-of-universal-emotions

[Paranomaly]

: D

[redhen]

I'd like to see the paper for this study. I suspect many of those 30 emotions are something else; feelings, moods, etc.

"While translating basic emotional concepts for Bhutanese villagers, the researchers also came upon a Bhutanese word that had no English equivalent: "chogshay," which loosely translates to a fundamental contentment that is independent of a person's current emotional state.

For instance, someone could be in the throws of rage or feel horrendously ill, but their underlying sense of well-being could still be intact.

"Fundamental contentment is a feeling of indestructible well-being resulting from unconditional acceptance of the present moment," Cordaro said."

[Frank Merton]

In my more ambitious younger years I set out to catalog virtues and vices and emotions and sensations in the languages I knew. There was a Chinese word that I could think of no Vietnamese or English equivalent to, and which I see English translations of Confucius put as "righteousness." Surely it is not seen as an emotion but as a kind of catchall for being virtuous.

Not being native Chinese I have no gut feeling for the word, and when I have questioned Chinese I have gotten varying responses, but basically it means a generalized tendency or desire to do what is right. Well I suppose "goodness" would work too, but obviously the English "righteousness" has more to it. So often words are untranslatable and not even paragraphs of explanation succeed. We just get slivers of hints of meaning.

[maximusnow]

The problem, I do not want to share emotions with any one. Emotions are like chemicals, if you mix them, they can explode.

[+Hammerclaw]

There are always new words to discover in languages, other than one's own. English is known as the great borrower because it's speakers constantly incorporate words from other languages into it's vocabulary.

Edited June 27, 2014 by hammerclaw

[paperdyer]

Well, all salespeople use the universal "trust me!" smile.

[redhen]

The problem, I do not want to share emotions with any one.

They're meant to be shared, that's we (and other animals) have then. Emotions are functional, used to express mental states to others.

[redhen]

There was a Chinese word that I could think of no Vietnamese or English equivalent to, and which I see English translations of Confucius put as "righteousness." Surely it is not seen as an emotion but as a kind of catchall for being virtuous.

There is a Japanese word that is used to describe a emotion that is unique to their culture;

"There is amae everywhere in the world, but it is interesting that in the Japanese language there is a concrete word to describe it, there is even a verb amaeru that means “depend on the benevolence of others”."

[+Hammerclaw]

Most human facial and body language is universal. I remenber how Hmong children had no difficulty playing charades. That sort of silent communication is ancient.

[redhen]

Most human facial and body language is universal.

It's also an old and established field of science now.

Edited June 28, 2014 by redhen

[maximusnow]

They're meant to be shared, that's we (and other animals) have then. Emotions are functional, used to express mental states to others.

This could be a violation of privacy. If say to you, I am ok and you see sadness on my face, now I am a liar and you are being nosey by investigating it further. I think women communicate emotionally and men communicate factually. Examples:

A Wife asks: How do you like your steak? Emotional translation = I always have to decide where we eat and if you complain about the cost, I will stab you with this fork!

A Husband asks : How do you like your steak? Emotional translation= How do you like your steak?

[Frank Merton]

Most of us are pretty skillful at hiding our emotions, and sometimes this is best, particularly the emotion of shock at something a son or daughter tells us.