From Colin Judge
Stanislas Dehaene cites “gub” as an example of a pseudoword – that is, it is pronounceable, follows phonetic language rules but is not found in the dictionary.
This may well be true, and even online Scots dictionaries don’t seem to list it. However, the term “gub”, as commonly used in Scotland, refers to a comprehensive defeat inflicted on one party by another, usually in an adversarial or competitive context. For example, given the likelihood of Dundee United flirting with the relegation trapdoor yet again in the coming football season, one can reasonably expect that the phrase “Aye, we wiz gubbed” will sum up their supporters’ post-match sentiments most of the time.
Loanhead, Midlothian, UK
