What is Mea Culpa?
1.
Latin for my fault. Mea being my. Culpa being fault or cause, also the root word for culpability.
Ok, shut up Mea Culpa!
Also from "Fuitcakes" by Jimmy Buffet:
Mea Culpa Mea Culpa Mea Maxima Culpa
2.
Literally "my fault" in Latin.
Sunshine: Oh, I included the wrong phrase into the example sentence! Mea culpa.
See
3.
"through/by my fault"
an admission of guilt and culpability.
latin--both words are in the ablative; syntactically here the "ablative of means"
It's not really "my bad" as much as it is, "this happened because of my problem." it isn't nearly as casual, and significantly more causal.
Don Imus:
The Rutgers team is composed of nappy-headed ho's!
Sharpton/various self-serving whistleblowers:
blah blah blah racism
Don Imus: mea culpa, please don't fire me.
See
4.
my bad, or my bag. when you have made a mistake and are apologizing.
I hit your car with a rock? my bad.
