‘Misunderstands’ is not an option
Here at Daily Nous we are committed to using self-selected responses to simple internet polls as a method for investigating the important issues in our profession. In that vein, Matt Smith (Leeds), asked: “Comment, commentate, commenter, commentator?” The only proper response was, of course, “what are you talking about?” Matt then explained.
Which of these terms do you use to describe the remarks someone makes after a talk, and what do you call the person who makes them?
[polldaddy poll=8243524]
Respondent.
But wise folk say: http://grammarist.com/usage/commentator-commenter/
That hardly settles the matter, as it is unclear whether the person in question is providing “an isolated remark” or a “series of remarks.” We may need to call in the philosophers of action, or maybe even the metaphysicians.
I think grammarist misunderstands their own examples. Looking through them, it seems the better distinction between a commenter and a commentator is that the commenter is commenting on someone else’s content while a commentator is reflecting on things more broadly.
(I am especially referring to the edlharris example.)
If that’s the right distinction, then “commenter” it is.
It would be much more fun if we did have people commentating on talks though, like a horse race: “And he’s off, folks … a quick stumble out the gate with that witticism, but Smith soon recovers, and enters what looks like it might just be a thesis statement … No, no! … a real dodge there from Smith, a real tap-dance on the edge of obscurity, that one … and here we go now folks … yes, yes … this might just be it …”
Sort of like G.A. Cohen’s Marxist boxing match commentary. I saw him do a Quine v. Strawson one once but I can’t seem to find a version of it online.
Wish there was an option for “comments, commentator”.
I think I use “commenter” for someone who just raises a hand in open Q&A and asks something, and “commentator” for someone who has a scheduled ten-minute response that’s on the program.
If someone raises a hand in open Q&A and talks for ten minutes, I use other words.