"I'm sorry"

[jbsegal]

English needs seperate terms for "It is my fault and I apologize" and "I am unhappy in sympathy with your unhappiness".

Am I just showing a lacuna in my vocabulary?

Comments

[moominmolly.livejournal.com]

How about "I'm sorry about that" or "I'm sorry I did that" (or some such construction admitting personal fault), versus "I'm so so sorry" or "I'm sorry to hear that, that must be terrible" (or a construction expressing sympathy)?

Also, I think "I apologize", as opposed to "I'm sorry", pretty much expresses the first without the second.

Huhuhuhhuuhuh "lacuna".