While the dictionary might tell you “shame” means humiliation or regret, in the Rainbow Nation, it’s a linguistic chameleon with a life of its own! One American couldn’t help poking fun at the unique South African quirk in a video that gave us the chuckles.
Cape Town, South Africa (09 June 2025) – “Shame”: a noun used to indicate a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behaviour. It can describe a regrettable situation or action or be used as a verb to make someone feel ashamed.
Here in the land of cultural vibrancy, where we’re known for our own unique twist on things, “shame” takes on so much more meaning. The word has a life of its own, used in a variety of contexts by all people.
Like someone complimenting a person’s new haircut with a heartfelt, “That’s lovely, shame!” Or spotting a litter of adorable puppies and exclaiming, “Look at them, shame, aren’t they sweet?”
We know it, and we just get it. But for our fellow visitors from beyond the borders, familiarising themselves with how we use the popular word can take some initial confusion and a lot of getting used to.
Sharing his funny take on how South Africans overuse the word “shame” was popular American content creator Addi Logan attempting to imitate how South Africans overuse the word in casual conversations. Popular for his opinions on South African desserts or the time he tried a Grand-Pa, South Africans love his take on life in our beloved country.
In a video posted on his social media, he played out a funny skit in which he pretended to be two different people: the one an American asking questions about his outfit, choice of sneakers and where they could get some fried chicken and the other, a South African replying to everything with the word “shame” interjected in every answer. Of course, the American was left feeling utterly confused as to whether he was being complimented or pitied.
The video, which has over 91,000 views on Facebook alone, resonated with many, especially South Africans who responded with comments, most of which, you guessed it, included “shame.”
“You have to find the right time to use shame in a sentence, it’s a skill. Shame, man, you’ll figure it out,” a witty South African jokingly said.
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These Surprising Leopards of South Africa Also Deserve Some Love!We’re sure by now Addi gets the quirk, and hopefully his video will help others in better understanding the truly unique piece of South African charm and linguistic flair!
Sources: Addi Logan
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