ag shame

ag shame - a well-used South African~ism. 

No, really.

This isn't a word definition thingie-me-bob like we usually do here. This is the long preamble to the part where I get to how this post still relates to this blog. Just be patient.

'Ag shame' is a real - and can I just say, wonderful - South African phrase. It denotes a feeling of sympathy for a situation, or person, or person in a specific situation. But it's all about how it is said. Inflection is the swing-vote which pushes the phrase from genuine, heart-aching sympathy, to dry, unfeeling sarcasm. As an American friend always asks when I say it: 'Real shame, or 'South African'  shame?'. Sometimes one does need to check.

In this case, ag (South African) shame: Typepad don't have no verification words.

Not yet anyway. They're stuck in pre-language, still churning out '653jrd' and 'ybrzeka' 's.

Ag shame.