The Meaning of the Term Pride

Abstract

What do I understand by pride? The same as you? The same as non-English authors whose words are translated as pride? English pride is not the same as Latin superbia and Greek hubris or (to take Aristotle’s word for proper pride) megalopsuchia. Different languages have different conceptions. Even phenomena as simple as colors are differently parsed; how much so then will be the more complex phenomena of emotions. Yet there is overlapping enough to justify comparisons. Some theorists claim that emotions can be identified with a number of physiological patterns that human organisms show in response to their surroundings. This claim finds support in a fact that Darwin pointed to: there are typical expressions found in all human societies for the best known emotions, such as blushing for shame, dancing and laughing for joy, trembling body and clenched fists for anger, head hanging for sadness and head and body held erect for pride.