Is what I just did socially inappropriate?

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Okay today I was coming home on the bus. I was sitting, minding my own business, but the girl behind me was loudly gabbling on her mobile phone. She seemed to be fairly literate, and being quite sarcastic, which I found quite amusing. To be truthful I quite fancied her, but that is a bit irrelevant. Anyway, during her second phone long-ish phone call she was saying something along the lines of

"yeah... [this girl] is coming over so we can study... she's going to make me feel better about myself before the exam. What's that called? Erm... I can't remember the word... the one where you make yourself feel better by laughing at others expense.... [long pause]....... Schingen..... [long pause]"

So I turned round and said:

"Schadenfraude"

She thanked me. Then continued her conversation and got off at the next stop (which, to be fair, I knew she would anyway due to her telling the first person who rang her so). I know you're not meant to listen to other people's conversations, but she was talking very loudly. Anyway, I'm just pondering how socially normal/ acceptable doing that is....

Thanks...

Schadenfraude doesn't exist.

It is Schadenfreude (German word meaning shame joy, or to take joy in someone elses suffering). SO, technoically, you were wrong.

To answer your question, you aren't SUPPOSED to, but everyone really does. Reactions depend.

Steve

inappropriate for whom? Not probably for an Aspie.

"What would Gregory House do?"

Thanks for your responses, guys, it was a very interesting moment... lol

I don't think you did anything wrong. If anybody was in the wrong, it was the woman for making a din.

Ditto Tequila.

Nothing wrong with it, really. I've come up with answers to questions that I've overheard as well.

Well most people do it so hey. And as she was speaking so loudly (drawing attention to herself anyway) she couldn't really expect anything less.

Depending on whether I was with friends or not, I would have corrected her. But if I was with friends I wouldn't risk embarrassing them.

I always feel like I'm doing something wrong when I hang with those two.

Even if she was screaming at the top of her lungs so everyone on the street outside the bus could hear her crystal clearly, unless you are telling her to shut up through sarcasm, you really shouldn't jump in people don't realise how loud they are sometimes, and phone conversations are usually considered private even if they're loud and in public.

To add something to someone's phone conversation...even if helpful...generally means 'Sweet geebus mate, you're so freakin' loud half the planet can hear you, shut up!' because you're not meant to listen in on people's convos (although every human on the planet will, who's going to ignore a convo that's loud-as when there's nothing better to do??). It violates their personal bubble, if you will...it's an invasion of their privacy, despite them exposing themselves as they are. It's a bit of a no-no, unless again you're trying to hint to them to stfu.

Then again if they're really flailing for a word like this girl is...I suppose you can be somewhat excused I mean, it did help her out and she did thank you. But I would definitely NOT make a habit of it. Despite what is said here, it IS considered rude to jump into a conversation you weren't invited into in this sort of situation, particularly if it's on a phone. It doesn't matter how loud they are. However, some people are very forgiving or just don't care...basically you're treading on eggshells if you decide to speak.