cultural cringe: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Upper-Intermediate to Advanced)Academic, Journalistic, Critical Commentary
Quick answer
What does “cultural cringe” mean?
A feeling of inferiority regarding one's own culture, especially in comparison to a perceived more sophisticated or dominant foreign culture.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A feeling of inferiority regarding one's own culture, especially in comparison to a perceived more sophisticated or dominant foreign culture.
The internalised belief that the cultural products, achievements, and norms of one's own country or society are inherently inferior to those of others, often leading to a rejection or devaluation of the local in favour of the imported.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is most commonly discussed in the context of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and post-colonial nations. It is less frequently applied in mainstream US discourse about the US itself, though it is understood. In the UK, it can be used to discuss former colonies or Britain's own relationship with the US/Europe.
Connotations
Carries a critical, analytical, and often self-reflective connotation. It is used to diagnose a national or societal complex rather than just personal taste.
Frequency
Higher frequency in Australian/New Zealand/Canadian academic and media contexts. Lower frequency in everyday US/UK speech, though it appears in intellectual and cultural commentary.
Grammar
How to Use “cultural cringe” in a Sentence
[Country/Group] + suffers from + cultural cringeThere is a sense of + cultural cringe + in + [Country/Group]To overcome + cultural cringeThe phenomenon of + cultural cringeVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cultural cringe” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The nation is finally learning to stop cringing culturally at every mention of its own accent.
- They argued that the policy would only make the public cringe at their heritage.
American English
- The director felt the audience would culturally cringe at the local setting, so he changed it to New York.
- We need to stop cringing at our own traditions.
adverb
British English
- He spoke cultural-cringingly about his hometown's art scene.
American English
- She dismissed the local playwright cultural-cringingly, calling it provincial.
adjective
British English
- The cultural-cringe mentality was evident in the board's decision.
- It was a moment of cultural-cringe reflex.
American English
- A cultural-cringe attitude pervaded the film festival's selections.
- He offered a cultural-cringe analysis of the trend.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in discussions about global branding where local managers undervalue domestic marketing strategies.
Academic
Common in sociology, cultural studies, post-colonial theory, and media studies to analyse national identities.
Everyday
Uncommon in casual conversation. Appears in quality journalism, discussions about film, art, or literature.
Technical
Used as a specific term in cultural policy and analysis to discuss the impact of globalisation on local arts funding and consumption.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cultural cringe”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cultural cringe”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cultural cringe”
- Using it to describe an individual's dislike of their own culture (it's a societal phenomenon).
- Confusing it with simple preference for foreign things (it implies an internalised sense of inferiority).
- Using it as an adjective, e.g., 'He is very cultural cringe' (it's a noun phrase).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While both can involve prejudice, cultural cringe is specifically a feeling of inferiority about one's *own* culture, not hatred or superiority towards another. It is inward-directed.
While the term describes a collective, societal attitude, an individual can certainly hold or express views that are symptomatic of the wider cultural cringe. We might say, 'He exhibits a classic case of cultural cringe.'
The opposite is 'cultural confidence' or sometimes 'cultural nationalism.' An extreme, uncritical opposite could be 'cultural chauvinism' or 'xenophobia.'
The term is most famously associated with Australian critics A.A. Phillips, who used it in a 1950 essay to describe Australia's attitude to its own cultural products compared to Britain's.
A feeling of inferiority regarding one's own culture, especially in comparison to a perceived more sophisticated or dominant foreign culture.
Cultural cringe is usually academic, journalistic, critical commentary in register.
Cultural cringe: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkʌl.tʃər.əl ˈkrɪndʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkʌl.tʃɚ.əl ˈkrɪndʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No direct idioms, but conceptually related to 'colonial mindset', 'looking up to the mother country', 'copycat culture'.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of someone CRINGING with embarrassment when they show you their local folk art, because they think it's not as good as famous European art. They feel their CULTURE makes them CRINGE.
Conceptual Metaphor
CULTURE IS A PERSON (who can feel embarrassed/shy/inferior). THE NATION IS A PERSON (with an inferiority complex).
Practice
Quiz
Which scenario BEST illustrates 'cultural cringe'?