As usual we have a word in German that perfectly describes what we witnessed tonight.
It's called "Fremdschämen" and it's the vicarious embarrassment you get when you see something so deeply mortifying, you feel embarrassed just watching it.
@fribbledom yes. I was too shy to watch this train wreck.
@fribbledom I cannot believe it. It is horrible.
@fribbledom That feeling is exactly why I can't watch shows like The Office.
@fribbledom As that Death Grips song once said, "Its a shitshow"
@fribbledom
In dutch : plaatsvervangende schaamte
@rghvdberg
The literal translation from the German word as 'vreemdschamen' sounds interesting and almost Afrikaans :)
@fribbledom
@fribbledom
Korean: 초침 당황 (chochim danghwang)
Fremd = Foreign/Third person
Schämen = ashamed
@utzer sure.
초침 = Second Hand
당황 = Embarrassment/Upset
@fribbledom
@fribbledom The English "cringeworthy" seems related, though it refers to the event rather than the feeling.
That doesn't include the idea the people involved don't feel any embarrassment, like the proposed Dutch "plaatsvervangende schaamte", but I think that's a reasonable translation.
(German 'fremd' means doesn't belong. The Dutch "plaatsvervangende" means in stead of, substitute).
@frank87 @fribbledom As a literal translation, it is correct, but I have never once heard anyone say "second-hand embarrassment."
@fribbledom we have this word in finnish too: myötähäpeä
@remaster @fribbledom In swedish we usually say "vad ända in i helvete" or something to that effect.
@fribbledom I love these German words... They are so specific, and perfectly describe things that are so hard to describe.
