Hi everybody, how are you today? Are you okay? I hope so! Are you happy? I hope so!
In today’s lesson we will look at… oh! Wait a minute,
I can’t remember what it is I’m going to discuss today.
What is today’s subject?
Oh how embarrassing,
I can’t remember what it is I’m suppose to teach you.
Oh yes…that’s it! I remember now.
The subject today is something we often feel
after making a mistake or following an awkward moment of time.
Like the one that just happened.
Today’s English lesson is all about the feeling of…embarrassment.
Let’s face it. We all make mistakes. It is hard to get everything right and quite often we might feel
upset by these errors. An error of judgement such as a misspelt word that draws unwanted attention,
or a lapse of concentration that causes you to forget something important might lead to a
feeling of shame or discomfort. A clumsy moment or an unwanted bodily sound will undoubtedly
lead to this feeling as well. Of course we are talking about the sensation of embarrassment.
It's about to rain. The words ‘embarrassment’ is a noun that names the feeling of awkwardness
or shame that is felt after a moment of social humiliation.
The humiliation comes from the unwanted attention or the feeling of being perceived in a certain way
and is always negative. Embarrassment is an unwelcome feeling that can last for anything
from a few seconds, to a whole lifetime. It would be fair to say that embarrassment
is both a psychological and physical reaction to a moment of awkward attention.
This attention can be caused by many things such as – making a social error whilst in the company
of others. To lose face over a claim of having a certain skill or knowledge of a particular subject
might leave you embarrassed. A social error might be something minor, such as picking up the wrong
knife whilst eating in a fancy restaurant. Perhaps you let out a giant fart whilst in a lift with
your work colleagues. Forgetting someone’s name or calling a person by the wrong name in a social
situation might cause you to feel embarrassment. To receive unexpected praise or a surprise gift
might create the feeling of embarrassment. An awkward moment that creates a physical response is
embarrassment. It leaves you feeling embarrassed. It was an embarrassing moment.
Let us not forget that besides personal embarrassment,
it is also possible to make another person feel embarrassed. You might reveal a secret
about an individual that then causes shame and humiliation. That person will feel
embarrassed. You might also feel personal embarrassment for revealing the secret to others.
To be caught out or named as the perpetrator of a criminal act might bring both guilt
and embarrassment on that person. To be caught in a ‘compromising’ situation will cause a great deal
of embarrassment for all concerned. A married man might be found to be having a secret love affair
with his secretary. Both people involved might feel embarrassed. Their secret has been
discovered. To be discovered cheating will more than likely lead to embarrassment.
The physical feeling of embarrassment tends to be similar, whatever the situation might be.
The moment of realisation will cause your heart rate to increase due to a rush of adrenalin, thus
causing your blood pressure to rise. You might become red in the face due to the stress caused
by that moment of embarrassment. You may feel hot, dizzy, or even nauseous during the initial
moments of embarrassment. Body language will often give away the feeling of embarrassment. Averting
your eyes away from someone or refraining from showing any facial expressions are common signs
of person experiencing embarrassment. Becoming red in the face is another sign of embarrassment,
although this does not always occur. The natural impulses of ‘fight or flight’ will come into play.
The most common one is to get away from the source of the embarrassment as quickly as possible.
Oversensitivity to events around a person might lead to the prolonged feeling of embarrassment,
which can lead to other conditions, such as stress and anxiety. Worrying about what other people
might think of you if you make a mistake or show yourself in public can lead to social anxiety.
A performer might make a mistake on stage,
which creates an embarrassing moment that might lead to loss of confidence or stage fright.
An embarrassing moment can leave its scar with a person for many hours, days, or even years.
Synonyms of Embarrassment include – shame – awkwardness - discomfiture – humiliation –
mortification – unease. You lose face, you feel a moment of shame, you feel humiliated, you are
mortified. In modern English the action of shaming a person or embarrassing them can be described as
‘owning’. You embarrass a person. You own them. To reveal a person’s faults or lies is ‘own’.
Embarrassment is a noun. The word ‘embarrass’ is a verb that derives from the Spanish ‘embarazar’.
In its earlier form the word meant ‘hinder’, ‘hamper’, or prevent a person from moving forward.
What was the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you? Are you easily embarrassed?
Have you ever caused another person to feel embarrassed?
Embarrassing moments happen to us all, but it is worth remembering that those moments soon pass.
Most people forget about other’s awkward moments and errors. In fact quite often the only person
who remembers it is the one who made it happen. It’s over. It has passed. It is time to let it go.
Talking of which, it is time for me to let you
go…until next time. This is Mr Duncan in England saying…stay happy, stay relaxed,
keep calm and I will see you all again real soon with another English lesson…and of course…
ta ta for now