When he returned, Martha would be absolutely gobsmacked by the stories he would share with her about the people of Yorkshire.
This somewhat puzzling quote exemplifies the word’s colloquial origins. It combines the familiar term smack with the Scottish Gaelic word gob, meaning “mouth” (suggesting that something gobsmacking is comparable to being hit in the mouth). This combination evolved through various northern English dialects, particularly in Liverpool, and gained popularity through television programs set in the region. The exact etymology of gob remains uncertain; it may be linked to the Middle English verb gobben, which meant “drink greedily”, or another Gaelic word, also spelled gob, signifying “beak”. The term smack simply mimics the sound of a strike.
