diff --git modules/comment/comment.module modules/comment/comment.module
index 43ec457..09f990d 100644
--- modules/comment/comment.module
+++ modules/comment/comment.module
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ define('COMMENT_PREVIEW_REQUIRED', 1);
 function comment_help($path, $arg) {
   switch ($path) {
     case 'admin/help#comment':
-      $output  = '<p>' . t('The comment module allows visitors to comment on your posts, creating ad hoc discussion boards. Any <a href="@content-type">content type</a> may have its <em>Default comment setting</em> set to <em>Read/Write</em> to allow comments, or <em>Disabled</em>, to prevent comments. Comment display settings and other controls may also be customized for each content type.', array('@content-type' => url('admin/build/types'))) . '</p>';
+      $output  = '<p>' . t('The comment module allows visitors to comment on your posts, creating ad hoc discussion boards. Any <a href="@content-type">content type</a> may have its <em>Default comment setting</em> set to <em>Open</em> to allow comments, <em>Hidden</em>, to hide existing comments and prevent new comments or <em>Closed</em> to allow existing comments to be viewed but no new comments added. Comment display settings and other controls may also be customized for each content type.', array('@content-type' => url('admin/build/types'))) . '</p>';
       $output .= '<p>' . t('Comment permissions are assigned to user roles, and are used to determine whether anonymous users (or other roles) are allowed to comment on posts. If anonymous users are allowed to comment, their individual contact information may be retained in cookies stored on their local computer for use in later comment submissions. When a comment has no replies, it may be (optionally) edited by its author. The comment module uses the same input formats and HTML tags available when creating other forms of content.') . '</p>';
       $output .= '<p>' . t('For more information, see the online handbook entry for <a href="@comment">Comment module</a>.', array('@comment' => 'http://drupal.org/handbook/modules/comment/')) . '</p>';
 
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ function comment_form_node_type_form_alter(&$form, $form_state) {
       '#type' => 'radios',
       '#title' => t('Default comment setting'),
       '#default_value' => variable_get('comment_' . $form['#node_type']->type, COMMENT_NODE_READ_WRITE),
-      '#options' => array(t('Disabled'), t('Read only'), t('Read/Write')),
+      '#options' => array(t('Hidden'), t('Closed'), t('Open')),
       '#description' => t('Users with the <em>administer comments</em> permission will be able to override this setting.'),
     );
     $form['comment']['comment_default_mode'] = array(
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ function comment_form_alter(&$form, $form_state, $form_id) {
       '#type' => 'radios',
       '#parents' => array('comment'),
       '#default_value' => $node->comment,
-      '#options' => array(t('Disabled'), t('Read only'), t('Read/Write')),
+      '#options' => array(t('Hidden'), t('Closed'), t('Open')),
     );
   }
 }
diff --git modules/forum/forum.module modules/forum/forum.module
index f20b393..7a0f229 100644
--- modules/forum/forum.module
+++ modules/forum/forum.module
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ function forum_help($path, $arg) {
       $output .= '<p>' . t('When administering a forum, note that:') . '</p>';
       $output .= '<ul><li>' . t('a forum topic (and all of its comments) may be moved between forums by selecting a different forum while editing a forum topic.') . '</li>';
       $output .= '<li>' . t('when moving a forum topic between forums, the <em>Leave shadow copy</em> option creates a link in the original forum pointing to the new location.') . '</li>';
-      $output .= '<li>' . t('selecting <em>Read only</em> under <em>Comment settings</em> while editing a forum topic will lock (prevent new comments) on the thread.') . '</li>';
+      $output .= '<li>' . t('selecting <em>Closed</em> under <em>Comment settings</em> while editing a forum topic will lock (prevent new comments) on the thread.') . '</li>';
       $output .= '<li>' . t('selecting <em>Disabled</em> under <em>Comment settings</em> while editing a forum topic will hide all existing comments on the thread, and prevent new ones.') . '</li></ul>';
       $output .= '<p>' . t('For more information, see the online handbook entry for <a href="@forum">Forum module</a>.', array('@forum' => 'http://drupal.org/handbook/modules/forum/')) . '</p>';
       return $output;
diff --git modules/node/node.install modules/node/node.install
index 04a42e0..31a7d22 100644
--- modules/node/node.install
+++ modules/node/node.install
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ function node_schema() {
         'default' => 0,
       ),
       'comment' => array(
-        'description' => 'Whether comments are allowed on this node: 0 = no, 1 = read only, 2 = read/write.',
+        'description' => 'Whether comments are allowed on this node: 0 = no, 1 = closed (read only), 2 = open (read/write).',
         'type' => 'int',
         'not null' => TRUE,
         'default' => 0,