Following hot on the heels of the last post, Feedjit now reports that somebody from the UK came to my blog by searching JJ Beazley is a bloviating ninny. Two facts are immediately apparent:
Whoever this person is, some character called JJ Beazley is significant to them – or else why bother?
Whoever this person is, he or she obviously has an impressive vocabulary. The verb ‘to bloviate’ appears neither in my Oxford English Dictionary (the short, two-volume edition,) Roget’s Thesaurus, nor the thesaurus in my version of Word.
I’d be interested to know what it means, assuming it actually exists as a recognised word. So please enlighten me if you know.
8 comments:
Maybe its someone who regularly reads your blog and knows that you keep track of your visitors and how they find your site. They are playing a joke on you...
I am coming to think there's a joke involved, Andrea, especially as the latest is 'JJ Beazley works for the Ballsworthy Detective Agency,' but it doesn't accord with the Feedjit information. I take it you don't know what 'bloviating' means?
Anyway, it's an old subject now. It's dropped.
"To bloviate" means to talk bombastically; at length in a pompous and self-aggrandizing manner.
It originated in the mid 19th century - specifically in 1857 - a mock Latin modification of the word "blow" with the suffix "viate." One could assume it wasn't a particularly popular word as by late 19th century it was considered outdated slang. It was resurrected during the 2000 US election season.
Many thanks, Anon. A new word is always a welcome addition to the family.
Ballsworthy Detective Agency? That is too funny! I'd never heard the word bloviate before. If it is any comfort i do not consider you a bloviant by any means ;o)
Thank you, Andrea. You're today's angel (as defined by Rabbi Blue.)
I have a feeling that The Ballsworthy Detective Agency has something to do with Douglas Adams, but Google is vague.
Bloviant? Bloviator? Who knows?
I couldn't find it either, but now I know thanks to Anon. Hmmmm, methinks Anon knows a little too much...
You do make me laugh Jeff, so glad you posted this!
I thought you might know the Ballsworthy Detective Agency, Mel. I'm sure I've heard it somewhere before.
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