Misunderstanders

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Those who do not correctly interpret the meanings conveyed in discourse
2. Individuals who incorrectly comprehend or misconstrue the messages communicated by others
3. Persons who interpret spoken or written communication inaccurately and fail to capture the true message

Etymology: "Misunderstanders" is simply the plural of "misunderstander," which is formed from the verb "misunderstand" plus the agent suffix "-er," the same ending found in "reader," "writer," and "teacher." The verb "misunderstand" is itself built from "mis-," meaning wrongly or amiss, and "understand," so the noun names those who grasp a message wrongly. The pattern is productive in English: "mis-" attaches to many verbs ("misjudge," "mislead," "mispronounce"), and "-er" turns the resulting verb into a noun for a person who performs the action. Because "misunderstand" already carries the sense of getting a meaning wrong, the agent noun adds little beyond naming the person responsible.

Synonyms: misconception, misinterpreter