What is the origin of the word flabbergasted? The –gasted in flabbergasted probably relates to aghast, as in “astonished” or “horrified,” but the source of the flabber- is unclear. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “The Origin of “Flabbergasted”: “-gasted” Probably Relates to “Aghast,” but “Flabber-” Is Unclear”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hi, how are doing?
My name is Nick and I’m calling from Stanton, Virginia.
All right.
Well, we’re glad to have you, Nick.
I hope you’re doing well as well.
Yeah, doing pretty good, doing pretty good.
You guys have had a lot of occasions where you talk about your favorite words and how they change.
Well, mine’s been the same since, like, high school.
Right?
And this is now the second time it’s gotten me on the radio.
That right?
Alright.
Who are we competing with here?
Well, the last occasion was a local classic rock station around here where I live.
They basically posed the same question.
Call in and tell us your favorite word.
And I called in and, you know, they greeted me and I just, flabbergasted and then hung up the phone.
They actually aired the call and then they used that clip of me saying flabbergasted and some, like, promotional material in the next couple months.
Oh my gosh.
We’re gonna do exactly the same thing.
Yeah.
Well, my favorite word hasn’t really changed.
It’s still flabbergasted.
But it occurred to me listening to your show and thinking about it that I really can’t make up what it comes from, where that word comes from.
Know, I get gassed in there from, like, a ghast or something, but that’s about all I can gleam.
Well, now, first of all, tell us why you love this word, flabbergasted.
You know, I just feel like it’s got that this consonant like you guys talk about where it’s just snappy.
It comes off the tongue in a way that just feels almost provocative.
Mhmm.
Flabbergasted.
Right?
You know?
Yeah.
The syllable stress is just right, ta da da da.
Right?
Mhmm.
And as a rhythm, like a drummer person, that really speaks to me, I guess.
Drummer.
But also flatter.
It’s fine to say, right?
The bobo sounds.
Right, right.
Several things that you said here just like really are great.
One is, you tried to parse the word based on your previous knowledge to figure out what its roots are.
And that’s such a good way to get more into understanding what we say and where it comes from.
Like most etymologists, you kind of ran up against the wall.
Most etymologists don’t have any good theories on where this comes from.
As a matter of fact, there are no good theories as far as I’m concerned.
And I would call this firmly origin unknown.
Most authorities agree that the ghast part at the end probably is related to aghast, meaning, kind of astonished or horrified at something that’s happened.
But the flabber part is where we get stuck.
And there are some similar words in French and some other languages that might have to do with fables and, and storytelling that perhaps are related.
But really, it’s a long string of tenuous similarities that don’t really have citations in the historical record, because that’s what I look for as a lexicographer.
But I will say, and I think Martha knows where I’m going with this, one of the most remarkable things about Flabbergasted is that we have a really well written chronicle of when it popped onto the scene and became a popular word.
There was the August 1772 issue of Town and Country Magazine.
That’s how old this is.
A piece that’s commenting on new words, and among them is the word flattergath.
And I want to read this to you.
It’s written by an anonymous author, and he’s describing the type of people, who use such word as flabbergast.
And he call, he says that they are, quote, a set of beings in this metropolis without any characters or whatever.
They are a kind of amphibious animals between fools and wits, fops and slavins, rigs and enthusiasts.
They have not the invention to form any opinion of their own, and are the mere echoes of coffee houses, newspapers, and playhouses.
That’s from more than two hundred and fifty years ago, yet it is so similar to complaints about new language today.
Wow.
That is absolutely fascinating.
And and, you know, it’s funny because I feel like this guy is kind of vindicating and using the word provocative to describe it earlier.
You know, and I think that compared to a gas, there’s almost been, like, an indignant to it.
It feels like.
Yeah.
More like being gobsmacked.
It’s like you open your mouth, and then you sternly shut it immediately or something, right?
Yeah, exactly.
I can see the face now.
Like the UFO rises above the horizon and you are flabbergasted your mouth agape, but then not agape.
Right, right, right.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard you guys not be able to find the origin.
That’s a first for me.
Nick, we’re just really good at saying, We don’t know, but not in those words.
Nick, thanks so much for calling.
Yeah, take care of yourself.
Thanks for having me.
It’s All been right.
Bye bye.
Alrighty.
Bye bye.
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