Express JEALOUSY and words connected to being JEALOUS - Learning English with Mr Duncan

Hi everybody, this is Misterduncan in England. How are you today? Are you okay? I hope so!

Are you happy? I hope so! In today’s lesson we will take a look at one of the most destructive

human emotions that exists. One that can cause hurt to both the person who experiences it

and to those around them. In this lesson we will take a look at the old green eyed devil…Jealousy.

The word jealousy is a noun that means to feel upset or bitter towards someone for a

positive outcome or a moment of good fortune for that person. You feel deep resentment

for the person. You resent their good fortune. Your gut feeling is that of resentment and

hate. To resent is to feel negatively about someone’s achievement. You feel bitter.

You hold a grudge. You feel protective of your own pride. You feel jealous. The word

‘jealous’ derived in Middle English: from Old French ‘gelos’, which itself derives from the medieval Latin ‘zelosus’.

It would be fair to say that jealousy is always a negative

emotion. Some say it is one of the most destructive emotions a person can feel. There are many

examples of a situation where jealousy might take hold of someone. For example - you have

a car that is a old and falling apart. You really want to buy a new one but you can’t

afford it. Suddenly, your next door neighbour arrives home in a brand new car. Not only

that, but it is also an expensive model with personalised number plates. Immediately you

feel the sensation of bitterness growing inside you. That feeling is jealousy. “Oh look

at him, showing off with his new car, who does he think he is?’’ The words that

come out sound resentful and bitter. Not only do you feel jealous now, but the chances are

you will feel the same way every time you see him drive off in the morning and return

home in the evening. The harsh fact is…once you let it take hold of you, the feeling of jealousy can last for a very long time.

Another example of jealousy.

You have been working for the same company for ten years and you feel that perhaps this year will be the time

when you get that promotion you’ve been waiting for. However, when the boss announces

the new positions, you find that the promotion you were hoping for is given to a person who’s

only been with the company for two years. Immediately you feel the resentment swelling

inside. The bitterness and resentment appear at almost the same time. The feeling is a

mixture of anger and jealousy. “I can’t believe they offered the promotion to someone

else, I deserve it more that they do.’’ Quite often jealousy comes in the form of

more than one emotion. Imagine a giant sandwich with many layers. Hate, anger, resentment,

guilt, bitterness, tears and heartache. Yes…what you have there is a giant jealousy sandwich.

There are many ways of expressing the presence of jealousy. You feel envy. You are envious.

You feel bitter. You have bitterness. You resent the person. You harbour resentment.

You are resentful. You hold a grudge against someone. Jealousy can be described as spite,

hatred, resentment, bitterness, envy, a chip on your shoulder, covetous, rancour, animosity.

We often describe a jealous person of being ‘green with envy’. They have been affected

by ‘the green eyed monster’, that is jealousy. Of all the emotions a person is able to feel,

jealousy is one of the worst, but why is this so. The emotion of jealousy can consume a

person. It eats into their soul. It takes over their emotions. Deep resentment can destroy

a person’s life. There are times when we want to make people envious. You might get

pleasure from seeing others becoming jealous. ''I got the biggest gift for Christmas''.

''I have a better car than you''. ''My house is bigger than yours''. ''I have a sexy wife, yours is ugly''.

''My job takes me around the world''.

''I earn more money than you''.

Even in advertising, envy is used to sell items.

Buy this product and make your friends jealous. Some see it as a sad sign of the times,

whilst others see it as just another way to market products to people.

What do you think?

Do you ever feel jealous of others?

Has anyone ever felt jealous of you?

How did you deal with it?

I hope you have enjoyed today’s lesson and I’ll see you all again soon.

This is Mr Duncan in the birthplace of English saying stay happy and until next time...

ta ta for now. 8-)