בושה
bushe
The Yiddish word for shame is בושה (bushe).
בושה is used to describe an uncomfortable or painful feeling of shame, as well as the broader concepts of disgrace or dishonor.
Meaning: uncomfortable or painful feeling (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
bushe
Did you know?
- In traditional Yiddish culture, בושה can be collective, meaning an individual's actions bring a literal sense of shame upon their entire kinship group.
- A common cultural reflex to counteract בושה is the use of humor or irony, which serves as a social 'pressure valve' to release the tension of public disgrace.
- The word בושה is a direct descendant of the Hebrew בּוּשָׁה, meaning Yiddish preserves much of the ancient biblical vocabulary for moral and social disgrace.
Examples in context
- דאָס איז אַ גרויסע בושה.dos iz a groyshe bushe.This is a great shame.
Example conversation
Abraham accidentally broke Sarah's favorite vase.
- שרה Saraאברהם, דו האסט געבראכן מיין ואַז!Avraham, du hast gebrakhen mayn vaz!Abraham, you broke my vase!
- אברהם Avrahamשרה, איך פֿיל אַ בושה.Sarah, ikh fil a bushe.Sarah, I feel a shame.
- שרה Saraדאָס איז אַ טרעגליכע זאַך.Dos iz a treglikhe zakh.That is a sad thing.
- אברהם Avrahamאיך וועל קויפֿן אַ נייע.Ikh vel koyfn a naye.I will buy a new one.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries בושה, CC BY-SA 4.0.
