Blamage

Blamage is a German noun meaning public disgrace or embarrassment, referring to a situation that causes shame or discredit to a person, group, or action. It is commonly used for a conspicuously failed act, a humiliating mistake, or an incident that harms reputation. The term can apply to individuals, teams, organizations, or events and is often used in media, sports, and everyday language.

Etymology and nuance: Blamage derives from the French blâme (blame, reproach) and entered German in the Early Modern period. It carries a sense of not only fault but also the public, reputational impact of a failure. In usage, it tends to emphasize the shameful or discrediting nature of the event rather than simply noting fault.

Usage examples and related terms: In everyday speech one might say, “Die Niederlage war eine Blamage für den Verein” or “Es war eine Blamage, wie der Bericht ausfiel.” Related terms include Blamage as a general synonym for Schande or Schmach, while the adjective blamabel means shameful or embarrassing, and the verb blamieren means to embarrass or disgrace someone.

English usage: In English, blamage is very uncommon and typically found only in historical, literary, or linguistic contexts when describing German phrasing or translating a sense of public disgrace. It is not a standard English term.

Overall, Blamage denotes a public or shameful failure with a nuance that extends beyond simple fault to the reputational impact of the incident.