computer partner - computing partner (?)

Question

Hi! I found these sentences

1. Robert is my computer partner
2. Mr. Hills is my computer teacher

Writting computing partner / teacher would be wrong?

I added something to my answer Tony. I just saw that you were asking about the word "computing". - Nicole-B, MAR 19, 2010

Answer 1

Computer partner = the person with whom I share my computer

Computer teacher = the person who teaches me about computers

Computing partner (not used) = the person with whom I compute things (my coworker at an accounting firm?)

Computing teacher (not used) = the person who teaches me how to compute things (my math teacher, perhaps?)

English loves to turn perfectly good nouns into perfectly good adjectives...just stick it in front of the noun it should modify.

Bird + nest = bird nest

Rat + nest = rat nest

You CAN say computing partner and it would actually be grammatically correct but it would not mean anything to anybody and they would all assume you meant to say computer partner.

Great answer Webdunce...thorough and complete! - Nicole-B, MAR 19, 2010

Answer 2

There is nothing grammatically wrong with "computer partner", but I don't think it is used much. It sounds like something that might be used in a classroom setting.

Other than that, we would say "on-line friend" or something like that.

Computing partner/teacher are not used.

Answer 3

"Computing partner" might be used to refer to your partner or pal who, at this moment, is using a computer--perhaps to differentiate between him and one of your other partners. Other than that, we wouldn't use that expression.

My partner who is computing (right now).

Answer 4

Thanks! Since the translate for computación is computing I thought that compañero de computación would be computing partner

Answer 5

Just chiming in that computing partner/teacher is wrong. It's computer partner/teacher. I know it seems strange, but that is the truth of it.