Meaning of tua culpa | Babel Free

Definitions

Your fault, due to your error; you are to blame.

uncommon

Examples

“It seems a long time since Mr. [Paul] Henneberg has vouchsafed the public a flute solo: he was in rare form and it was a grand treat. The masterly manner in which the virtuoso deals with the most intricate execution and the expression that he develops is always a signal for an outburst of genuine applause. “I do not like the flute,” remarked a lady, “the physical effort is too palpable.” “Tua culpa, madam, don’t look at the performer.””

“We did not attend the Bazaar and Supper, Saturday, dared not. Understood we stood-in, not well, but for a thrashing. But still it was a success and netted a nice sum for the Aid.—Why? Well, we took the item via phone and got our wires crossed. Mea culpa, tua culpa, or what means the same.”

“When we do not hear from you and Annette for a long period, we get uneasy and wonder what can the matter be? In our busy life, we do not stop to question is it mea culpa or tua culpa, but just start as I am doing now.”

“In my desperation casting about, I caught at the last word of the last line to connect it with you trying to be even feebly departmental with English at our Amherst College. You barely succeed. You envy those in equivalent positions at Mount Holyoke and Harvard. But desist. By so much more than you do of them do they fall short of ants that it is as if you were in the same row boat with them trying to overtake a liner that got away from the wharf while, tua culpa, you were being given a farewell dinner party at the Commodore [Hotel] by your friends.”

“Shattered another idol! / Busted another dream! / Culpa, tua culpa: / Such is my dismal theme. // Thou, C. C., ever unerring, / Keen as a radio beam— / Thou to let verses slip past thee, / With rhymes like “queen” [sic] with “dream!””

“The experience of many would indicate that the accountants, in general, are well ahead of technologists in their practical thinking, and the “tua culpa” attitude indicates more a juvenile than adult attitude in any areas of disagreement.”

“We must remember that the present orgy of mea culpa breast beating and tua culpa finger pointing, which both the FCC and the industry are indulging in, to the accompaniment of loud and vague promises to try to do better programing in the future, are no guarantee to the millions of American TV family viewers that they will be any better even a year from now.”

“Protest is the way youth attempts to recover its freedom. It shows it is not determined, that things are not wrong by necessity, either from outside, as with [Karl] Marx, or from inside, with [Sigmund] Freud. Someone is to blame: guilt is on someone’s soul; blood is on his hands. Placards are lifted, marches organized, buildings occupied, police tantalized, and fingers pointed “Tua Culpa, Tua Culpa” (“Your fault, your fault”).”

“Tua culpa. “Why do people walk over me?” asked another patient. “I’m only trying to be a good guy.” The therapist’s answer was, “Because you let them. You look, act and talk like a doormat, and you invite people to walk on you. Don’t blame people, they’re only giving you what you asked for. Since you invite them, you have to suffer the consequences. Isn’t that right?””

“THE verb whose past tense is “slayed” is defined by Chambers as “to amuse very much; to impress very much”. Is that really what the French state did to its priests and nuns after 1789? (Mary Kenny, May 7). Or is it another example of tua culpa, Mr Worsthorne?”

“Now, regarding [Joe] Heller’s treatment of Toby Roth in the cartoon of Aug. 5—Tua culpa.”

““Mrs [Margaret] Thatcher, you know, never spoke a word of apology, despite the fact that the Heath government, of which she was part, made such a mess of the three-day week.” With her, remarked Lord Mayhew [i.e., Christopher Mayhew] drily, it had always been tua culpa.”

“Always having to worry if my father was angry or why, or if it was I who caused the anger. Worse was wondering if it was I who should be at work making his anger go away. Yet here among this vast polished cast, the game of mea culpa, tua culpa was played out with far more skulk.”

“It’s all your fault, anyway, and it always has been—the kind word you thought of saying but didn’t, the appalling decline of human decency, global warming, thermonuclear nightmares, your own small cowardice, your stupid idea that you would live forever—all tua culpa.”

“Mea culpa, tua culpa / Little Neck: I just saw Rep. Paul Ryan on TV, demanding that Rep. Maxine Waters apologize.”

““I didn’t mention that Tristan said I could have two for every home game?” Sebastian gave R.J. an innocent look. “Mea culpa.” / “No, you did not mention that, so yeah, tua culpa.” R.J. hit him lightly on the shoulder, and they watched as Tristan—after skating up and shooting pucks at the goalie—came over to the glass again.”

CEFR level