BLOVIATIONS

“Bloviates.”

Is this O long, short, or pronounced like the Italian open O ? Is the V a cop-out in coining an even viler blowiate ? In the OED there is not one word beginning blov .

Could you ask Richard Eder (“Hopeful Monsters” by Nicholas Mosley; Dec. 15) whence and why bloviate ? What is its etymology, its root? Is it transitive or intransitive?

Imagine bloviating. Imagine being bloviated. Imagine bloviatory, bloviatrix.

Ye Gods! (But it cracked up my invalid blind friend. For that, all is forgiven.

FRED SCIFERS, DOWNEY