“Comment on something” or “comment something”?

Question

Do I say “comment on something” or simply “comment something”?

For example:

• Brian ?commented on this video.
• Brian ?commented this video

Answer 1

The OED says that the usage without on or upon is now “archaic”:

• 2. a. trans. To furnish with comments; to make a comment or comments on; to annotate. arch. Hence ˈcommented ppl. a.

  • 1599 Thynne Animadv. (1865) 75 ― Leysure to reprinte, correcte, and comente the same.
  • 1641 Milton Ch. Govt. v. (1851) 119 ― Anselme··commenting the Epistles to Titus and the Philippians.
  • 1695 Humfrey Mediocria 29, ― I comment therefore these words thus.
  • 1700 Prior Carmen Sec. 158 ― To trace each Toil, and comment ev’ry War.
  • 1768 Johnson Pref. to Shaks. Wks. IX. 285 ― The chief desire of him that comments an author.
  • 1838–9 Hallam Hist. Lit. I. ɪ. iii. 149 ― The treatise was commented, abridged··and even turned into verse.
  • 1904 Nation (N.Y.) 7 Apr. 272 ― Tennyson’s In Memoriam, commented by L. Morel.
  • 1963 Language XXXIX. 242 ― This commented anthology.