Language learning app Duolingo has apologised after a German lesson appeared to teach tutees a sentence referring to controversial author JK Rowling as “mean”.
A German lesson on the app included the question: “Magst du die Bücher mit Harry Potter als Figur?”, which translates to: “Do you like books with Harry Potter as a character?”
The correct response was: “Ja, aber meiner Meinung nach ist die Autorin gemein.” (“Yes, but in my opinion the author is mean.”) The wrong alternative answer said: “Yes, you’re right. I’m interested in sports.”
Duolingo, which has more than 130m active daily users, said in a statement:“We apologise for any offence caused and will remove this content.”
Gaby Koppel, a freelance TV producer and writer, told The Daily Telegraph that she had been using the app for five months and that the Harry Potter author was the “first and only real-life person” she had seen criticised.
Koppel concluded that the branding of Rowling as mean was linked to her outspoken and repeated criticisms of transgender rights.
“It’s gratuitous – how is Rowling relevant to learning German?” she said.
In a post shared on X/Twitter, Koppel wrote: “Shame on you @duolingo: learning German and I came across the sentence ‘Yes I like Harry Potter but the author is mean.’ How woke do you have to be to let trans ideology infect a language lesson?”
It comes as Rowling recently reignited her long-standing row over transgender rights with the former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon.
While in office, Sturgeon attempted to push through legislation creating a self-identification system for people who want to change gender, which the UK government eventually blocked.
Rowling blasted Surgeon’s new autobiography, Frankly, on social media last week, posting a picture of scribbled-on pages of the book.
The Harry Potter author had written “Are you f***ing kidding me???” over a page where she accused Sturgeon of “opining on the need to make the ‘public sphere’ safe for women and girls”.
In a post on X, Rowling wrote: “Annotating as I read to review. Might auction my scribbled-on copy, proceeds to go to @ForWomenScot. NB: nobody who’s offended by swearing should bid.”
Following Sturgeon’s proposed reforms in 2022, Rowling wore a t-shirt calling the politician a “destroyer of women’s rights”. Sturgeon later called for both sides of the debate to “treat each other with respect”.
Rowling’s views on trans rights have been condemned by stars of the original Harry Potter franchise, including Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, who have since distanced themselves from the author and her work.
Radcliffe, who played the titular character in the film franchise, said in 2020 that “transgender women are women…Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations”.
Meanwhile, Watson wrote: “I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.”
When one fan told Rowling on X/Twitter that she is owed an apology by the actors, she said that the pair can “save their apologies” for “traumatised detransitioners”.
Shaun of the Dead actor Nick Frost, who will play Rubeus Hagrid in the forthcoming Harry Potter TV adaptation, has also distanced himself from Rowling’s stance on trans rights.
When he was asked about Rowling by The Observer, he said: “She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine – they just don’t align in any way, shape or form.”
Frost added he believes the controversy “shouldn’t blow over”, explaining: “We shouldn’t just hope it will go away, because it makes it easier. Maybe we should educate ourselves.”
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