gobdaw (fwd)

[David Bergdahl]

A comment from a friend and colleague and Irishist... if that's a word!?

=======================================================================
David Bergdahl          Ellis Hall 366         Ohio University / Athens
Associate Prof/English  tel:  (740) 593-2783   fax:  (740) 593-2818
                        bergdahl at oak.cats.ohiou.edu
                    http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~bergdahl
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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 11:42:41 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jim MacKillop <mackillj at yahoo.com>
To: bergdahl at ohio.edu
Subject: gobdaw

David:

I'm returning the entire message for reference.

Although all are terms of derision found in Ireland,
gob/gobshite are unrelated to gobdaw.  I have come
across both in writing, in dramatic dialogue, etc.,
but I have heard only gob/gobshite in speech.

gob is regional British English that has migrated to
Ireland.  It originally means "beak," and by entension
it signifies "mouth" in a disparaging sense, e.g.
"Shut yer gob!"  Gobshite is the equivalent of
"shitface," though with perhaps less force.

--

I cite Bernard Share, SLANGUAGE--a Dictionary of Irish
Slang (Dublin: Gill & Macmillan, 1997), p. 113, for
the next. It derives from the Modern Irish gabhda/n:
gullible person.  Derisive, yes, but sufficiently
polite to be said on television. Used by prominent
writers not known for working class argot, e.g. Hugh
Leonard, Flann O'Brien, Joseph O'Connor.

Hope this does it,

Jim MacKillop

--- David Bergdahl <bergdahl at oak.cats.ohiou.edu>
wrote:
> an update
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> From: "Eoin C. Bair*ad" <ebairead at indigo.ie>
> Subject: Re: SEMI-URGENT HELP: Etym. of "Gobdaw"
> (I've Been Called Names)
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> <hel-l at wiz.cath.vt.edu>
>
> gob - the mouth
> daw - a fool
>
> so someone who says foolish things
>
> see also gobshite
>
> http://www.corkslang.com/term/daw/
> http://homepage.tinet.ie/~nobyrne/a-zcompact.htm#G
>
> Eoin Bairéad
> Dublin, Ireland
>
>
>
>
> 28/05/2001 00:50:06, J L Speranza
> <jls at netverk.com.ar> wrote:
>
> >Sorry folks for bothering yous all on a Holy
> Sunday, but yesterday I learned
> >the word,
> >
> >   gobdaw
> >
> >(NOT as applied to me, *originally*. Honest!).
> >
> >I did a search with Yahoo ("Google" retrieved *no
> page*) & it seems it's
> >IRISH SLANG for "idiot". Could the word be of Irish
> Gaelic origin, or would
> >it be *Anglo*-Irish? I somehow like the sound of
> it... Any help from any
> >Celtologist who could provide the etymology most
> appreciated (One relevant
> >ref. below. The second suggests it may be a proper
> name, but I doubt
> it).
> >
> >It seems it's Anglo-Irish, as "gob" means slimy
> matter (and it's also US
> >slang for "sailor") and "daw" (= in jackdaw) is
> Middle English related to
> >Old Hig German "taha" [any cognate in Old English?]
> (This info from the
> >COED). I tried the OED (typing "gobdaw") to no
> avail.
> >
> >Out of the 9 pages retrieved by Yahoo the 9 were
> from ie. (i.e. "Ireland").
> >Yet I heard it used by a Canadian who lives in
> Vancouver and then repeated
> >by a Californian who lives in Paris, France...
> >
> >Best,
> >
> >JL
> >Word Curious.
> >BA, Arg.
> >
> >========
> >REF:
> >1. Soccer/Sports Extra/ireland.com. They're
> planning an assault on the
> >Champions League this year, so they've clearly no
> use for an error-prone
> >gobdaw (Jesus, that's a word I don't use often!).
> ...
>
>http://www.ireland.com/sports/soccer/rowzview/sweetfa082100.htm
>
> >
> >2. season2.
> >It was an excellent opportunity to escape the
> clutches of her possessive
> >boyfriend, Gobdaw O'Herlihy. If you ever leave me,
> Mary, you'll regret it.
> >After ...
> http://podge_and_rodge.homestead.com/season2_2.html
>
> >
> >
> >


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