Is your language exchange partner an incompetent fudge?

[aokoye]

More points:
- Generally being illiterate isn't something that someone can help. It's an issue of various systems having failed the person who is illiterate not an issue of a person not trying hard enough.

- I'm really confused as to why you felt the need to call your language partner a dumbass on top of that. She's learning, young (you don't list her age), and has been given the information about "u" and "ur" from her tutor. If anything you should be admonishing the tutor not your partner. Wait no you did admonish the tutor with, "illiterate dipshit like this woman’s tutor.". Really, calling someone a dipshit...really? I don't care about swearing but I do care about respect.

I hate the usage of "u" and "ur" in general but there are times and places for it just like there are times and places for not capitalizing words and for writing in a high register.

[Serpent]

I think a more appropriate response would've been that "not everyone is used to these abbreviations, I find it hard to read your replies". And we don't know what exactly the tutor said - it's likely that they worded it more carefully.

[sjintje]

It is odd how disturbing it is when people use the wrong register. Much more annoying than errors of grammar or vocabulary.

[Polyclod]

I'm really confused as to why you felt the need to call your language partner a dumbass on top of that

That was my first reaction as well. Makes me feel bad for this young lady, at least she's trying.

[AlexTG]

but it got me wondering if I've ever matched myself up with an Italian or French exchange partner who was an illiterate dipshit like this woman’s tutor.

rdearman wasn't calling his actual Chinese language exchange partner an illiterate dumbass. The point of the original post was that he may have had partners in the past who were "illiterate dumbasses" (in their own native language, not English) and he wouldn't even have realised. Hence he may have unknowingly learnt bad habits from these people the same as his Chinese language exchange partner had learnt bad habits from her tutor.

[zenmonkey]

I'm really confused as to why you felt the need to call your language partner a dumbass on top of that

That was my first reaction as well. Makes me feel bad for this young lady, at least she's trying.

"an illiterate dipshit like this woman’s tutor" says nothing about the young lady.

The title of the thread might lend confusion but the original post was criticising the tutor that taught her so poorly.

[rdearman]

Yes, my point is that this charming young lady didn't actually know she'd been taught something incorrectly. Which is why I wonder if I've been taught incorrect or inappropriate material by someone. So my question to all of you for discussion was more "How do you avoid being taught mistakes by unqualified people?" but "Is your language exchange partner an illiterate dumbass?" is a bit of a shock title to get you to read further.

[Polyclod]

That's still incredibly disrespectful. I guess to each their own, but I don't think we have to resort to click-baity titles to get people to read posts on this forum.

[Serpent]

Yeah, if this was started by a regular member I'd have asked them to word it more respectfully Not to mention the problematic usage of the word illiterate and the general off-topic discussion that followed.

[rdearman]

Yeah, if this was started by a regular member I'd have asked them to word it more respectfully Not to mention the problematic usage of the word illiterate and the general off-topic discussion that followed.

No reason to go soft on me just because I admin the site, I have to follow the same rules as everyone else. Therefore I appologise for my use of the word "dumbass" to everyone on this forum for whom I have the utmost respect. Technically however, my use of the word illiterate is correct, see the third definition below.

il•lit•er•ate (ĭ-lĭtˈər-ĭt)►
adj.
Unable to read and write.
adj.
Having little or no formal education.
adj.
Marked by inferiority to an expected standard of familiarity with language and literature.

My problem was with someone who charged money to tutor then deliberately taught erroneous facts to a student. If you are going to take money to teach a subject, you should teach to the highest standard possible. IMHO.

But to get the topic back on track, my question still remains.

How can you keep yourself from getting bad, incorrect, or inaccurate information from language exchange partners or tutors? What techniques or methods do you use to vette your exchange partner or paid tutor as in the above example to make sure they are giving you quality information? How could this young lady have protected herself against this? Personally I could only think of two ways she could have prevented this:

• Widen the amount of native speakers she speaks to and cross-check responses to questions in order to get a concensus of opinions.
• Check for verifiable qualifications before giving money to anyone who has labelled themselves as a "tutor".