<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT  SIZE=2>One "gob-" compound that may be

<BR>familiar to North American English-

<BR>speakers: the candy called (on the

<BR>package) "Gobstoppers."  Generic

<BR>"gobstopper" is, I think, more of a

<BR>current Irishism for any substance

<BR>(trademarked or not) stuffed into a

<BR>noisy child's mouth

<BR>

<BR>BTW, the "-shite" of "gobshite" is

<BR>the same as that of "shitepoke," recently

<BR>under discussion here.

<BR>

<BR>                                           Steve Hicks

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