“Gobsmacked” is a traditional English expression for astonishment, since “gob” is an English colloquialism for “face”. In the context of an article about the English, it is particularly appropriate. My thought is that when you write your own posts, you can use the language you choose, until the vocabulary impinges on the standards of this forum. Let us not criticize one another in our discussions of the Holy Father’s triumph.
It's idiotic, and essentially meangless. If it's olde englishe, it died for a reason. leave it buried. As for this...
Let us not criticize one another in our discussions of the Holy Father’s triumph.
...sanctimonious drivel, I wanna vomit.
Thus, "gobsmacked" derives from the act of slapping the palm of one's hand across one's open mouth when startled or surprised.
A "face" is sometimes referred to as a "dial" (as in clock face, or dial) and in Cockney rhyming slang is known as "a boat race".
Yes, I know..............too much information.