Duolingo: “JKR is mean”

[SidewaysOtter]

https://x.com/seeredwoman1/status/1957902960148771303?s=46

Jesus, is nowhere safe from this shit?

I hope JKR’s lawyers are cracking our their very best “terse letter” pens this morning.

https://www.gbnews.com/news/jk-rowling-duolingo-apologises-author-insult-trans

Apparently they have new "queer" characters for the app and the reference to the SC was referring to the ruling about biological sex.

Shame, I was wanting to have another go at Duolingo (I tried it previously but couldn't get into it) but I'll not bother now.

I think the article is completely wrong about the Supreme Court.

The tweet was on my understanding the day after it came out that the US Supreme Court might hear an appeal reconsidering gay marriage, and all the pictures that accompanied the tweet were about homosexuality.

Duolingo is a US company. It wouldn't make any sense for them to reference the U.K. Supreme Court some time after the judgment and without referring to the U.K.

Sloppy journalism.

And the JK Rowling thing was bad but at least they are acting quickly to remove it rather than doubling down. So many other companies would double down 🤷‍♀️

Well I've deleted it anyway as it was getting on my nerves before this.

Same.

Well, I'm over halfway through the Duolingo Italian course, so I'll see my subscription year out and finish the course, then move on, probably to Babbel. I always wanted to learn Italian and have thoroughly enjoyed working my way through the course so far. I use the desktop app on my laptop, not the mobile version which would drive me batty.

I'm going to delete the app though I only use the free version. Is there any means of registering my disapproval with them before I flounce?

I contacted them via their Contact page.

To anyone who's deleting Duolingo as a result, don't worry, as a language teacher I can tell you it's a huge waste of time. I have had people come to my classes having done years of Duolingo and they still can't actually speak the language at all. Look for real classes near you. Language for fun is one option with classes all over the UK.

@Runnersandtoms that’s good to know, I was trying to learn through it and really struggled even though I usually pick up languages quickly!

What else would you recommend?

Wasn't Duo once snapped showing off some bondage gear?

That's obviously the best solution for anyone living near a decent-sized centre of population. Here in deepest rural Wales I first tried to learn Italian 30 years ago at an evening class at the local FE college, a mere 25 mile round journey for me. I went to the first term and enjoyed it very much, but that was all I could have as there weren't enough people wanting to come back for another term for the course to be viable. Now in my late 70s I would have to drive 40+ miles each way to Aberystwyth University for a weekly 2hr evening class, which is of course out of the question. Online is the only option for me.

I wonder if this was created by a person - I saw in the news that they are not hiring people if they think AI can do the job (there's one reason to avoid them, for a start).

If it was indeed written by a person, that's surely a sacking offence. Whatever the employee's views, they shouldn't be putting offensive comments about individuals, religions, political parties or anything else that divides opinion in a language learning app.

I use chatgpt, I've learned more in a month than a whole 1000 days streak on Duolingo.

If you are learning German there are much better totally free apps with no ads or mindless gamification.

DW Learn German has a choice of professionally-made courses.

VHS (the German adult-education organisation) has a series of apps for the different CEFR levels.

Yes, I agree with this.

The timing and the content of the tweet (which only refers to people in same sex relationships) makes it very unlikely that it's a reference to the UK Supreme Court.

Interesting. How do you use it to learn a language?

Duolingo has to say sorry after getting locked in a trans row and criticising 'mean' JK Rowling in German lesson | Daily Mail Online

>> Duolingo has to say sorry

More explicitly I think they need to apologise to JKR rather than for "any offence caused".

There are many things I don't agree on with JKR. However this kind of gratuitous, personal snide remark has no place in such a popular platform.

I leaned French at school and Spanish at beginner college level in the US (I worked over there after uni) and I have found it invaluable for topping up my previous in person courses BUT (without boasting) I am the kind of person who sits waiting for the other members of the language class to catch up so I like being able to top up my vocabulary and revise my grammar at my pace.

I have no idea if it would work for me from scratch - I tried Czech when I was there for work so I could say Hello but it looked like you had to learn how to say "my cat is red" first so I deleted that!

They apologised and removed it.
It shouldn't have been there in the first place, but when a company clearly says sorry and removes the content, I think that should be acknowledged. Fair dues to them, they didn't get all defensive and waffle on about sensitivity and feelz...

I'm glad someone has stepped up and reported the content and Duolingo has (eventually) responded by removing it and apologising. Hopefully that's the thin end of that particular wedge firmly knocked out. In my head, though, JKR is mildly amused and ready with a pithy, witty, and possibly, some might say, slightly mean retort.

(I'm not unsubscribing yet and quite enjoy the diverse content, although I agree with previous posters that Duolingo is at best an adjunct to other forms of language learning.)

Force teaming with LGB again.

Interns??

Ah. Just rtft. UK Vs US and an apology.

Am using it for a couple of languages but interleaving with other sources for reading/ listening/writing. Have come across nothing controversial so far. Any recommendations for good Mandarin and Cantonese courses online?

It is an opinion tho' 'meiner Meinung nach...' surely it is there to prompt an opposing response and create a presumably balanced dialogue. It has nothing to do with the opinions of the company Duolingo. I don't see what all the fuss is about.

What other highly political opinions have you seen Duolingo characters express?

Anyway, it doesn't prompt dialogue because you cannot express your own opinion in return. You literally don't have the option to type, "No she isn't, you daft twat, get off Reddit and go touch some grass."