Expressing Embarrassment in English / What does it mean to be embarrassed? / Listen & Learn English

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