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I would choose...

Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:57 am
by metal56
Who would you prefer to edit your writing: a non-native speaker of English who is a Professor of English at an Indian (or a Belgian) university, or a monolingual Brit or American who left school with no qualifications at the age of 15?

Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 8:46 am
by jotham
I've never met any, so not speaking from experience, but I, as a native speaker, would more likely trust and submit my writing to the non-native English professor. But I know a lot about editing, so I could only accept edits if I've been convince of the rationale for them. It would be teamwork. Writers and editors both should know how to write well; editors are just dang good at spotting overlooked mistakes writers should already know. On every edit, the writer should say "Oops" and not "Huh?"

Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 9:17 am
by metal56
I've never met any, so not speaking from experience, but I, as a native speaker, would more likely trust and submit my writing to the non-native English professor.
Could you say why?
On every edit, the writer should say "Oops" and not "Huh?"
I think an "oops" is coming:

But I know a lot about editing, so I could only accept edits if I've been convince of the rationale for them.

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 3:09 am
by jotham
Could you say why?
Well, probably because I don't think submitting it to an untrained high-school student (or adult), whether native or not, would accomplish much. I can edit my own things, as any writer does, before submitting it to fresh eyes, whose eyes should be as sharp, and preferable sharper than mine. The more important the document, the more carefully I edit my own. An untrained high schooler couldn't find much that I hadn't already found, granted I was careful. Someone who is trained would be conscious of a wider array of errors made and violation of writing principles than a high-school student. Of course, the professor could be a dunderhead, which also wouldn't be helpful. A high schooler could also have an early interest in grammar, could have trained or applied him- or herself, and thus could offer advice more valuable or more careful than that of a lazy non-native (or native) professor.
I've seen the result of unqualified adult native speakers attempting to edit things for publication, and I was convinced. I've had experience wasting my own time editing wrong edits and preferring to work with the original document.

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 4:34 pm
by zorro (3)
Bit of an unfair comparison.

I would always choose the 15 year old thicky :!:

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:50 pm
by Lucjan
I'd take the non-native professor of English over most native English-speaking university graduates.
Unfortunately, that's not a vote of confidence for the quality of either Belgian or Indian language teaching professionals.

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:27 pm
by lolwhites
It'd be interesting to hear what both had to say!

If pushed I'd choose the academics, and I'd happily proof read their work too. My NNES academic colleagues at the university where I teach are always asking me for advice.

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:30 pm
by metal56
Lucjan wrote:I'd take the non-native professor of English over most native English-speaking university graduates.
Why?

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:32 pm
by metal56
lolwhites wrote: My NNES academic colleagues at the university where I teach are always asking me for advice.
Are you an agony aunt, Lol?

:lol: