tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31265055.post2415952657674572291..comments2023-09-20T14:18:32.900+02:00Comments on Obscene Desserts: Fremdscham is the new SchadenfreudeJCWoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02585322642151280666noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31265055.post-21116544767472501082012-01-08T21:30:38.987+01:002012-01-08T21:30:38.987+01:00I don't know anything about German politics, b...I don't know anything about German politics, but following the definition in the middle of the page, there's a term for exactly the same concept in Spanish: "vergüenza ajena". Fun fact.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31265055.post-42056700517253718562010-03-14T21:01:43.129+01:002010-03-14T21:01:43.129+01:00It's a good word, but I don't think it goe...It's a good word, but I don't think it goes far enough for certain individuals. When I think of Geert Wilders, for example, it's not simply that I feel ashamed on his behalf, it's the thought that if I really were in his shoes I would sincerely want to remove myself from the gene pool on behalf of humanity at large.Geoff Coupehttp://gcoupe.spaces.live.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31265055.post-77002440755931630512010-03-13T13:29:00.381+01:002010-03-13T13:29:00.381+01:00Mike: I think that would just be Scham. Germans mi...Mike: I think that would just be <i>Scham</i>. Germans might, on the other hand, feel <i>Fremdscham</i> for the British for not having thought of it first. <br /><br />But that wouldn't really be fair: after all, English has provided so many lovely words with which Germans have been carelessly littering their language for some time now.<br /><br />Although, this <a href="http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100216-25293.html" rel="nofollow">might be changing</a>.JCWoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02585322642151280666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31265055.post-69289520010497509842010-03-13T12:04:01.753+01:002010-03-13T12:04:01.753+01:00Good post. I'm going to spend some time think...Good post. I'm going to spend some time thinking it through and come up with some candidates. But as a new concept for English - for sure. Can we feel fremdscham for ourselves for not having invented the concept of fremdscham and having left it to the Germans again? Or would that just be scham?mikeovswintonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14921482679293649667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31265055.post-84577441840803627722010-03-13T10:10:34.062+01:002010-03-13T10:10:34.062+01:00FM: judging by the FDP's poll figures over rec...FM: judging by the FDP's poll figures over recent months, I would say that many of their voters are feeling rather embarrassed themselves and may not need any help from the likes of us.... Yes, the claims that the criticism is motivated by Westerwelle's sexual orientation is absurd and coffee-spitting worthy. I mean: his critics are certainly trying to turn this to political advantage; however, so far, I've not seen any commentary motivated by prejudice. <br /><br />JM: Yes, there <i>is</i> that construction, as you say...but in thinking about it, I rarely heard people say it, growing up in the US. In fact, I can't really ever recall hearing it. 'He's really embarrassing', yes, but 'I'm really embarrassed for him', no. <br /><br />Maybe it's more of a British expression. Or perhaps the British are better at feeling embarrassed for someone else. Just a theory.<br /><br />But it's not quite as catchy, I find.JCWoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02585322642151280666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31265055.post-46992930132045886332010-03-13T09:54:00.646+01:002010-03-13T09:54:00.646+01:00The "I'm embarrassed for" constructi...The "I'm embarrassed for" construction gets you some of the way in English, doesn't it? Not as strong, though.Jasper Milvainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08417909012663712109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31265055.post-47306698011421666832010-03-13T00:47:20.241+01:002010-03-13T00:47:20.241+01:00Actually, I fremdschäme myself for those who elect...Actually, I fremdschäme myself for those who elected him into office. Makes you kind of not wanting to have anything to do with it... I spat out my coffee this morning when I read on the website of the Süddeutsche Zeitung that his party collegues now claim that the attacks on his favoring friends and family really are only expressions of prejudices against homosexuals...<br /><br />So long,<br />CorinnaFrau Mahlzahnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06654359195634091221noreply@blogger.com