By Judgeisalwaysright - 01/03/2016 08:57 - United States - Chesterfield

Today, while at a big speech and debate tournament, I corrected the judge's use of the word "podium" instead of lectern, because that's what my debate coach had told me was the correct usage. Well, she didn't take it too well and neither did my partner. Or my debate coach. FML
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Same thing different taste

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Top comments

fakedsincerity 32

Correcting the judge in front of everyone is kind of a dick move. A judge is there as some sort of expert and authority figure and to undermine them doesn't look good for your score.

468 10

Comments

Dale_shackleford 13

I'm a debater. The first thing a good coach will teach you is to never risk offending a judge. Don't do anything they might not like because they are the sole decider in your round performance. If you piss a judge off, there is nothing at all stopping them from making you lose out of spite. No accountability, no complaints, nothing. OP is either very new or a terrible debater if they don't know that.

18 0
Ms_ValS 27

I read this weeks back. It finally got approved I think. Or someone copied it.

0 0
dcam13 19

don't correct the people above you, plane and simple. lol I'm assuming your one of those people that hangs around comment sections and corrects people on they're use of words, like your/you're. bare in mind, nobody likes being corrected, especially when their you're superior to. (bahahah I am cringing so hard while writing this. sorry grammar nazi's, it was hard for me too.)

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fakedsincerity 32

Correcting the judge in front of everyone is kind of a dick move. A judge is there as some sort of expert and authority figure and to undermine them doesn't look good for your score.

468 10
Julian_s1234 11

Not all judges know anything about the debate topic i know someone who won because "he looked better than the other people"

4 25
fakedsincerity 32

that's why i said "some sort of expert" not "expert on the topic". Regardless they are the authority of the event and that should be respected.

28 1
Dale_shackleford 13

Judges are often idiots that know nothing. That doesn't change the fact that they decide if you win or not and the fact that there is nothing you can do unless it is a very, very, very serious tournament. YDI for not knowing that the judge is king or queen. Nothing about respect, just the fact that they are the sole decider of your round results.

4 15
finalyearsofhate 22

You completely deserve it. You don't correct someone judging you.

83 2
Chikiriwak 17

That's why you let the big man be. Even if you are right there is no point on correcting those who are proffesional in their minds.

35 5
lolhailsatan 23

Yeah if someone is judging you and scoring your ability to do something, it's obvious that it's probably not best to correct them in front of everyone else... not like their incorrect use of the word would affect how well you can debate. Especially because the two words are so close in meaning, not like anyone could get confused because of a simple word mix-up.

45 1
itsme82 18

To be honest.. I'm not impressed either. You can't correct some people in life. As much as it sucks, sometimes we have to let people be ignorant in their own stupidity. Don't beat yourself up tho op. Consider it a life lesson.

26 4
whassallt26 13

Depends how you said it, you're not going to convince a judge by being condescending towards them

9 5
TheMathMajor 26

I think it would come off as super arrogant no matter how he said it, just because it's such a pedantic correction and to someone who is judging them at a competition. Not a smart move at all.

38 0
elcee1987 18

That's not even an important correction to make. If the judge had given the wrong rule or incorrect time or something, sure, speak up. But podium vs lectern? YDI dude

56 1