"Exponent" and "proponent" seem to have (at least) overlapping definitions in the sense of "one who advocates". What distinguishes them?
asked Nov 4, 2014 at 21:31
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2I've never personally heard the term exponent used as anything but the degree of a power in mathematics.– Joe Z.Commented Nov 4, 2014 at 22:05
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@JoeZ: Nor had I, except perhaps rarely, until this (approx. 3rd paragraph - about the middle of the first block quote).– Dennis WilliamsonCommented Nov 4, 2014 at 22:20
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4 Answers
The OED defines an exponent as: One who sets forth in words, expounds, or interprets; in recent use occas. one who ‘interprets’ music, an executant. Also, that which serves to explain or interpret.
A proponent on the other hand is:
A person who puts forward or advocates a theory, proposal, or course of action; a propounder, a proposer. In later use also more generally: a person who is in favour of a proposal, a supporter.
The principal difference, therefore, seems to me to be that whilst an exponent 'sets forth and interprets', a proponent advocates. A proponent provides more opinionated support for a proposition than an exponent who merely explains. That is how I see the difference.
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1If we're going to use OED, note also defn 3 He who or that which sets forth as a representative or type, as a symbol or index, for which a cited usage is Theobald ... as a plodding antiquarian, was an excellent exponent of dullness. We can safely assume Theobald never actively attempted to persuade people to espouse dullness - the point is an exponent can just be passively serving as a good example, but a proponent always actively promotes his cause. Commented Nov 4, 2014 at 22:39
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1A musician described as a leading exponent of Wagner's music might be someone who plays Wagner very well even if they acknowledge he was evil and antisemitic, while a proponent of Wagner's music might not play the music but probably would try and excuse the antisemitism while advocating for his greatness.– Stuart FCommented Apr 27, 2023 at 11:47
I don't believe there is much difference in terms of each word's connotation. However, proponent is more commonly used.
Exponent is rooted in the infinitive expose, while proponent is rooted in propose. If I were to dig into the nuances of the two words, I would use exponent in situations where the subject is choosing to emphasize something that most people would agree is factually correct, and I would use proponent when the subject is proposing something that isn't necessarily true from an objective standpoint, or that is more subjective by nature.
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To back up akorff's definition we can actually get 1 step closer than "expose" and "propose". A proponent is "one who propounds" {propound = put forward for consideration}. An exponent is "one who expounds" {expound = present and explain a theory or idea systematically and in detail.} Interestingly the root is the same, but *pose words have evolved representing literal actions and *pound words representing figurative actions. So an exposer exposes a fact, but exponent expounds a theory. We compose a poem, but we make compound words. Commented Nov 5, 2014 at 3:20
I remember the differences by attaching them to the underlying words:
A person might ex-pose (an idea) - ex-ponent A person might pro-pose (an idea) - pro-ponent
I use one or the other to finely distinguish between a person who self-identifies (or is identified by others) as a practitioner of X from the person who is a supporter of X.
