Fremdschmen (pronounce: "Fremmd-Shamen") is the German word for this sentiment of joint embarassment. In the literal sense it means "external shame".
So you've embarassed yourself in front of friends, family, the whole country, your entire hemisphere, the person you love. It happens, life can be hard. Maybe you wished you were someone else or that your head wouldn't turn so crimson it makes a tomato look pale. Definitely not a comfortable situation for you.
It might be a relief to know that in many cases, friends, family, country, hemisphere, or loved one will actually share your plight. You're making them feel just as uncomfortable as you are feeling. Even worse, sometimes you're not even aware of how much of an ass you have made of yourself but others are still embarassed for you.
- You're Bridget Jones on a date.
- Or George W. Bush in trade negotiations with China.
- Or you have your friends over and your parents proudly display your baby pictures.
Watching others humiliate themselves in public can be almost physically painful, yet at the same time, perversely riveting.
From the sadly dead blog German expression of the day.
