Saturday, January 12, 2013
"Gobsmacked"
Didn't know this word till Stephen Sondheim used it in an interview: Asked how he felt about having a theatre named after him, Sondheim said, "I was gobsmacked."
"Gob" is a mouth, perhaps from Gaelic and Irish.
Being gobsmacked signifies the gesture of clapping a hand over the mouth; flabbergasted, stunned into speechlessness with amazement.
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Dad,
ReplyDeleteI was gobstruck by this entry! I love to say the word *gobsmacked*! The two syllables pack quite a punch, and are quite satisfying to say aloud. A Scottish friend used the word a while back, and I remember the joy of hearing her utter the word!
It also makes me think of the Everlasting Gobstoppers from Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. What kid did not long for a candy that not only could never be finished, but never became smaller?
Yet, as a child, I had to suffice with the huge non-eternal jawbreakers I bought from Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor with my allowance. They lasted days, weeks, and sometimes months - depending on usage.
Micah loved hearing stories about these massive 4 inch jawbreakers - how I would lick the candy-orb daily, wrap a paper towel around it at day's end, and begin again the next day. I worked on them with my *gob*, until my tongue was literally raw, and oh so colorful!
With much diligence, I could reduce the 4 inch jawbreaker to the size of a marble.
What joy!
Liz: Ha Ha. All of a sudden, here I sit, after a root canal, and simply can't stop laughing. Do you remember Gobstoppers from Farrell's Ice Cream. And of course, as your Dad makes mention - the word is of Irish/Scottish origin. I wonder what Peter would think?
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