Why was this question closed?
The close reason reads:
"Please include the research you've done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – Hot Licks, Phil Sweet, NVZ, Rathony, Helmar
You asked
Why was the community so eager to shut down my question?
This community is for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. I don't think this community was so eager to shut down your particular quesiton. It judged your question lacks research effort and it could be answered using commonly-available references.
What "research" were they expecting to see?
We expect linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts would understand what those words mean. Outspoken comes from speak out and when you speak out, you are candid, straightforward. Softspoken comes from speak softly and when you speak softly, you are gentle and not loud. Unspoken comes from "un (not) speak" and when something is unspoken, it is not expressed in words. Misspoken comes from "mis + speak" and mis indicates bad or wrong. When you misspeak, you speak wrongly or inaccurately.
Among the explanations above, what is it that you can't find in the dictionary or on the internet? Your interpretation of three words other than "outspoken" is correct. Then, you should have focused on the meaning of "outspoken" with an example sentence that bothers you most. There are many example sentences on the internet and what makes you think it means:
When I hear X is "outspoken", I interpret it as meaning that X is spoken of (or X does speaks) but the speech tends to be drowned out by others' voices.
You asked a total of 8 questions. It's too broad.
(1) Can someone explain what is going on? (2) Shouldn't the consistent usage and the "-en" conjugation mean X is the subject?
(3) Why exactly is different about these from a language standpoint that makes their meanings so seemingly unintuitive grammatically? (4) Is there some way I can train myself to "predict" the correct meaning ((5) are they in different tenses? (6) are they following different grammar rules?), or (7) are they just random exceptions to the language that I have to memorize in every single case? (8) Is there a name I can use to describe or read more about this phenomenon?
Your question is too broad and can't be answered definitively. One question per post is the guideline of Stack Exchange. Answers to your questions (from No. (3) to (8)) are as follows:
(3) Their meanings are not confusing. Grammar has nothing to do with their meanings.
(4) You can always "predict" the correct meaning if you get yourself familiarized with the meanings of those prefixes un (not), mis (wrong), out (opposite of in), soft (not hard, not loud).
(5) Tense has nothing to do with their meanings.
(6) Again, grammar has nothing to do with their meanings.
(7) I don't think they are random exceptions. Yes, you have to memorize them, but it would be far easier if you know the prefixes.
(8) I don't understand the question. You can read some articles on prefixes.
Your question would not have been closed if you had focused on what bothers you most with your own research efforts and an example sentence with which you are confused. Please consider editing your question so that we can consider voting to reopen it. Good luck.
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, but did not find anything useful,” instead of simply “Googling didn’t turn up anything”. In any event, I was only trying to provide a tip so that your next question doesn’t get closed. As for my cringing, it seems most people who write questions here don’t fully grasp how much a little extra effort like that is appreciated.