Can you spell dasyphyllous?
I've no idea what it means and probably couldn't spell it if asked, so congratulations are in order for 14-year-old Finola Hackett from Tofield, Alberta who placed second in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. (And all of the other, especially the Canadian, finalists!) I love words, but I would have been lost if I'd been asked to spell maieutic or koine, too. Off to find the dictionary... (If you're in doubt as to the excitement factor of spelling bees, check out the film Spellbound. At the end you could have heard the proverbial pin drop at our house, followed by the collective release of held breath.)
2 comments:
Hey Adrienne,
Welcome to the world of blogging. I shouldn't be surprised that you have posted something about spelling being that you wear an editorial hat, but I must say that the world of spelling bees leaves me cold--probably due to traumatic (is that spelled correctly) from childhood spelling bees where I was usually the first one out. Still can't spell my way out of a paper bag, and yet I'm not a bad person. So what's with all the hype. The 50's were not that great as I recall. I'm all about looking ahead and leaving those horrible spelling bees behind in the dust where they belong.
Sheryl, a writer who is totally reliant on spell check, and none the worse for wear.
Thanks Sheryl. I'm actually with you actually on the spelling bees, but, still, I thought those words (and the "stay-to-it-ness" that those kids must have had) was impressive. I may be an editor at the moment, but I'm no copy editor. I don't really spel two gud and I am definitely unsure of where to place a comma.
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