Automatically participant of a Challenge?

I figured out that I was automatically signed up for the 1000 Word Challenge for Dutch and German. How does this happens? I don’t want to partizipate in any challenge, and I never agreed to be one. I remember that about 2 weeks ago there was a message that I signed up for Dutch. But I never did this. I deleted the message, but I see on the learning page that this challenge is still active. Please could you provide some background information how this has happened and how this works?

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It seems to be somewhat of a little incentive for newer users, getting past our first 1000 words kind of thing, but there is a blog about it here:

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I guess you are right. But I dislike that I wasn’t asked if I want this.

I know where you are coming from. If you are an experienced language learner I don’t know if it might feel a bit condescending or simply annoying. Personally it doesn’t bother me but it would be better I think to ask if you want to join the challenge, stating that it is just a milestone which tells you how long it took to get 1000 words known in the database.

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It is rather amusing, isn’t it, that we are assumed to be in a 1000 word challenge just because we opened up a lesson or two in our native language or in a language we are simply glancing at? I am lined up for English and Greek. I just ignore them!

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Apparently I am taking part in the Swedish challenge. I reset the language to start afresh. I know way more than 1,000 words and so it would be cheating if I did take part in this kind of challenge. Please deregister me if possible. If not, I’ll follow Gingko58’s example.

No offense to the challenge makers of lingQ, but they are definitely not for me. I really don’t like feeling pushed into anything, feeling forced to write or speak just to complete the challenge. If I speak or write it will be when I feel like doing it, when it is meaningful.

@nateg, writing and speaking are not in the challenge - no need to do any to participate.

A simple solution in my opinion would be to add a ‘leave’ button for the 1000 word challenges. Last time I checked there was such button only for the 90 day ones.

LingQ not only enters you into unwanted challenges, it is down way too often and sends a huge amount of spam mails… Meh.

Thanks for clearing that up. I didn’t know that, because it used to be required, at a certain level a while back. I remember Steve’s son telling him he needed to have the required number of written words (in a video) to make the challenge some time ago. Glad you guys changed it.

@ Vera,

I bet all of my points that you’re going to win the German 1000 words challenge. hahahahaha

@Veral, the 1000 Word Challenge has no time limit. A lot of us that are new to learning a language need a goal when starting up and some form of motivational push.

We don’t constantly remind or push people to reach the 1000 word target because everyone learns at a different pace and learning a language isn’t a race.
So it’s also easy to ignore if it’s not motivational or of use to you.

It is just not easy to ignore for a German.