Date: Fri, 29 Mar 1996 09:15:15 EST From: Patricia Kuhlman Subject: Discussant In response to Seth Sklarey's query re discussant meaning panelist in a discussion, the OED gives a 1927 citation for this word. It is of American origin. Wouldn't you know it? Discussant sets my "dentes" on edge. Presumably most British people likely to be writing about members of a discussion have studied at least a bit of Latin and know that you cant' can't make a present participle from a past participle (discuss< discutio, discutere, discussus) and switch conjugations to boot. But perhaps I should lighten up and appreciate that in English you CAN mix and match. A properly formed Latinate participle would yield discutient instead of discussant and many people wouldn't make the connection. Patricia vobis plurimam salutem dicit.