Bloviation is a style of empty, pompous, political speech that originated in Ohio and was used by US President Warren G. Harding, who described it as "the art of speaking for as long as the occasion warrants, and saying nothing".[1] His opponent, William Gibbs McAdoo, compared it to "an army of pompous phrases moving over the landscape in search of an idea."[2]
"Americanism really began when it was robed in nationality..." – Warren G. Harding"America's present need is not heroics but healing; not nostrums but normalcy..." – Warren G. Harding
Bloviation in Ohio was originally idle chatter.[3][4] As a form of political speech, it appears in the Debates and Proceedings of the Convention for the Revision of the State of Ohio in the mid 19th century.[3] One etymology suggests that the word is a "compound of blow, in its sense of 'to boast' (also in another typical Americanism, blowhard), with a mock-Latin ending to give it the self-important stature implicit in its meaning."[5]
GamalieleseEdit
H. L. Mencken lampooned Harding's bloviate style as gamalielese,[6] from his middle name of Gamaliel.[7] He complained that the style was suited to Ohio yokels:[8]
Addressing such simians, the learned doctor acquired a gift for the sort of discourse that is to their taste. It is a kind of baby talk, a puerile and wind-blown gibberish. In sound it is like a rehearsal by a country band, with only the bass-drummer keeping time. In content it is a vacuum.
In this he was responding to The New York Times which had defended Harding's style as presidential:[8]
Mr. Harding's official style is excellent. Its merits are obvious. In the first place, it is a style that looks Presidential. It contains the long words and big sentences which are expected. ... Furthermore the President's style is one that radiates hopefulness and aspiration. ... In the President's misty language the great majority see a reflection of their own indeterminate thoughts.
^Joseph R. Conlin (2009), The American Past: A Survey of American History, vol. 2, Cengage Learning, p. 629, ISBN9780495572893
^John Morello (1993), Halford Ross Ryan (ed.), The Inaugural Addresses of Twentieth-century American Presidents, ABC-CLIO, p. 53, ISBN9780275940393
^ abAllan A. Metcalf (2004), Presidential voices: speaking styles from George Washington to George W. Bush, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, pp. 134–135, ISBN9780618443741
^Paul F. Boller (1996), Presidential anecdotes, Oxford University Press, p. 229, ISBN9780195097313
^William Safire (2008), The Rhetorical Act: Thinking, Speaking and Writing Critically, ISBN9780495091721
^Vincent Fitzpatrick (2004), H.L. Mencken, Mercer University Press, p. 74, ISBN9780865549210
^ abHenry Louis Mencken (September 9, 1921), "Gamalielese Again", On politics: a carnival of buncombe, ISBN9780801853425
August 28, 2023
bloviation, style, empty, pompous, political, speech, that, originated, ohio, used, president, warren, harding, described, speaking, long, occasion, warrants, saying, nothing, opponent, william, gibbs, mcadoo, compared, army, pompous, phrases, moving, over, la. Bloviation is a style of empty pompous political speech that originated in Ohio and was used by US President Warren G Harding who described it as the art of speaking for as long as the occasion warrants and saying nothing 1 His opponent William Gibbs McAdoo compared it to an army of pompous phrases moving over the landscape in search of an idea 2 source source Americanism really began when it was robed in nationality Warren G Harding source source America s present need is not heroics but healing not nostrums but normalcy Warren G Harding Contents 1 Origin 2 Gamalielese 3 See also 4 ReferencesOrigin EditBloviation in Ohio was originally idle chatter 3 4 As a form of political speech it appears in the Debates and Proceedings of the Convention for the Revision of the State of Ohio in the mid 19th century 3 One etymology suggests that the word is a compound of blow in its sense of to boast also in another typical Americanism blowhard with a mock Latin ending to give it the self important stature implicit in its meaning 5 Gamalielese EditH L Mencken lampooned Harding s bloviate style as gamalielese 6 from his middle name of Gamaliel 7 He complained that the style was suited to Ohio yokels 8 Addressing such simians the learned doctor acquired a gift for the sort of discourse that is to their taste It is a kind of baby talk a puerile and wind blown gibberish In sound it is like a rehearsal by a country band with only the bass drummer keeping time In content it is a vacuum In this he was responding to The New York Times which had defended Harding s style as presidential 8 Mr Harding s official style is excellent Its merits are obvious In the first place it is a style that looks Presidential It contains the long words and big sentences which are expected Furthermore the President s style is one that radiates hopefulness and aspiration In the President s misty language the great majority see a reflection of their own indeterminate thoughts See also EditCircumlocution Filibuster Stilted speech VerbiageReferences Edit Joseph R Conlin 2009 The American Past A Survey of American History vol 2 Cengage Learning p 629 ISBN 9780495572893 John Morello 1993 Halford Ross Ryan ed The Inaugural Addresses of Twentieth century American Presidents ABC CLIO p 53 ISBN 9780275940393 a b Allan A Metcalf 2004 Presidential voices speaking styles from George Washington to George W Bush Houghton Mifflin Harcourt pp 134 135 ISBN 9780618443741 Paul F Boller 1996 Presidential anecdotes Oxford University Press p 229 ISBN 9780195097313 Quinion Michael 1999 Bloviate World Wide Words Retrieved January 24 2012 William Safire 2008 The Rhetorical Act Thinking Speaking and Writing Critically ISBN 9780495091721 Vincent Fitzpatrick 2004 H L Mencken Mercer University Press p 74 ISBN 9780865549210 a b Henry Louis Mencken September 9 1921 Gamalielese Again On politics a carnival of buncombe ISBN 9780801853425 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bloviation amp oldid 1082563032, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
