Saying How You Feel

July 16, 2008 – 5:47 pm

I am excited by BookaChat’s new English courses. I am saying how I feel. In many cultures, it is not necessary to mention feelings or to know what your feelings are. But to speak English, we must be able to say how we feel.

In fact, tests of competency in English always ask students to write personal essays giving opinions on broad topics. To pass these essay questions, you will need to be aware of the feelings that determine your personal point of view.

Love and fear are the only two fundamental human feelings. From these two come all the others. Feelings are not good or bad. They are only experienced (felt) or not experienced (not felt). All feelings are felt in the body and pass away rather quickly.

“I feel sick,” however, is not a feeling. It is a sensation. Sensations come from specific body parts, usually from a certain organ, like the feet or the skin. “My feet are hot,” is a sensation. “My shoulder muscles are stiff,” is a sensation. “I have a pain in my stomach, ” is a sensation.

Our feelings reflect our inner life — our emotions, our sentiments, our desires, our likes and dislikes. It’s best never to exaggerate what we say or think about our feelings, because we can actually scare or discourage ourselves and other people if we do so.

If you fail an exam, for example, never say: “I can’t learn English. I’m hopeless.” Better: “I’m tired from taking this test. I’ll relax and forget about it for a while. I’m confident I’ll pass this test next time.”

Here is another example: Never say: “I can’t write English.” Better: “I’ll practice the past tenses in English. Then I’ll be able to write anything.”

A native speaker of English would recognize every word on the following list. If the words are not familiar to you, do not rush to learn them all quickly. This list is to be used more as a reference or resource.

abandoned absurd abused accommodating accountable active agitated agreeable alarmed alone aloof

amused angry anxious appeased apprehensive arrogant ashamed attracted bashful benevolent betrayed

bewildered bitter blessed blissful blue bold bored brisk calm capable chaotic charitable chastised cheerful

closed competent complete compliant composed confident confined congenial content controlled cordial

cowardly cranky cross defeated degraded dejected delighted depressed despised destitute determined

dignified disappointed discarded discontented disgraced dishonored disillusioned disinterested

dissatisfied distant disturbed docile dominated “down in the dumps” drained dull dangerous ecstatic

elated embarrassed empathetic encouraged encouraging energetic enthusiastic exasperated excited

exhausted extravagant fatigued fearful feeble flustered foolish forlorn forsaken fortunate free fulfilled

futile generous gentle glad gloomy gluttonous grateful gratified grief-stricken grouchy guilty happy

harassed healthy heavy-hearted helpful helpless hindered holy honorable honored hopeless humiliated

ignorant ignored imprisoned inadequate infatuated infuriated inhospitable inspired interested intuitive

invigorated involved irritated isolated jittery jolly joyful jumbled jumpy limited limp lively livid loyal lucky

malicious melancholy merry mild miserable miserly modest moody mortified motivated neglected nervous

noticed overworked passionate peaceful perplexed petty placid plagued pleasant pleased poised

powerful private provoked qualified raging regretful relaxed relieved remote resentful rested restless

restored revengeful ridiculous robust rough sad satisfied scared scorned secretive selfish sensitive

sentimental shamed sheltered shocked sick simple sluggish solemn sparkling stimulated stingy strained

stricken strong stupid successful suicidal sulky sullen surprised sympathetic temper teary-eyed tempted

terrified thrilled thwarted timid tired tormented tranquil trapped triumphant troubled uninterested unnerved

unwelcome useless vague vain vigorous virile vital vivacious wanted wasteful weak weary weepy

whole wicked withdrawn worried

Question for Discussion:

(1) Look at the photograph of the giant woman swimmer, which is a big work of art, not a real woman. Look at the workman on the right, who is an actual man, and try to identify what you think he might be feeling, given his posture and the look on his face. Then find a few of those words on the list.

(2) Have you ever been unclear about particular words for feelings in English? Let’s discuss them now.

The sculpture is named “The Survival of Serena (Red Cap)” and the artist is Carole A. Feuerman.

Homework:

Whenever you identify a feeling that is not on this list, add it to the list. This list can become your master list of the words for feelings in English.

Photograph and Text Copyright © 2008 Barbara A. English. All rights reserved.