[Snorlax94]

This is the year they broke the bee.

With 8 contestants left after 17 rounds and no one being eliminated for 3 rounds of the most difficult words, they’ve taken the extraordinary step of declaring that anyone left after the 20th round will be a co-champion. The reason? It appears many if not all of these finalists know every word in the dictionary. It strikes me as the right call. Perfection is possible and it seems like they could go on and on and on. They look exhausted — it’s close to midnight EST — but they keep going.

Mind-blowing and humbling to see these kids.

[Snorlax94]

This is the year they broke the bee.

With 8 contestants left after 17 rounds and no one being eliminated for 3 rounds of the most difficult words, they’ve taken the extraordinary step of declaring that anyone left after the 20th round will be a co-champion. The reason? It appears many if not all of these finalists know every word in the dictionary. It strikes me as the right call. Perfection is possible and it seems like they could go on and on and on. They look exhausted — it’s close to midnight EST — but they keep going.

Mind-blowing and humbling to see these kids.

[Snorlax94]

And it’s official. 8 Co-Champions for 2019.

During the final 5 rounds, no one was eliminated.

[Snorlax94]

And it’s official. 8 Co-Champions for 2019.

During the final 5 rounds, no one was eliminated.

[bbm233]

Those kids blew me away...I was hoping, hoping, hoping that they would all spell their last words correctly. And the pure joy on their faces when they realized they were going to win. The amazing thing was the camaraderie amongst the contestants in the earlier rounds, even when they thought the only way for them to win was for the others to fail. 

They must have trained as hard or harder than any elite athlete - the amount of stuff crammed into their brains is impressive. The tension and need to perform under pressure was as apparent as any sporting event. Thanks to ESPN for televising this.

[bbm233]

Those kids blew me away...I was hoping, hoping, hoping that they would all spell their last words correctly. And the pure joy on their faces when they realized they were going to win. The amazing thing was the camaraderie amongst the contestants in the earlier rounds, even when they thought the only way for them to win was for the others to fail. 

They must have trained as hard or harder than any elite athlete - the amount of stuff crammed into their brains is impressive. The tension and need to perform under pressure was as apparent as any sporting event. Thanks to ESPN for televising this.

[terry]

Those kids blew me away...I was hoping, hoping, hoping that they would all spell their last words correctly. And the pure joy on their faces when they realized they were going to win. The amazing thing was the camaraderie amongst the contestants in the earlier rounds, even when they thought the only way for them to win was for the others to fail. 

They must have trained as hard or harder than any elite athlete - the amount of stuff crammed into their brains is impressive. The tension and need to perform under pressure was as apparent as any sporting event. Thanks to ESPN for televising this.

These kids have achieved an incredibly impressive mastery of spelling, haven't they?

Here's a list of the words correctly spelled by Rishik Gandharsi, the co-champion from San Jose. You can go all your life without ever seeing most of these:

crambo
invincible
Yiddishkeit
hendiadys
Aufgabe
hinalea
keriah
frailejón
myctophid
bottarga
coryphée
chelydroid
Nyaya
fravashi
tjaele
rhathymia
murrain
anthocyanin
auslaut

[terry]

Those kids blew me away...I was hoping, hoping, hoping that they would all spell their last words correctly. And the pure joy on their faces when they realized they were going to win. The amazing thing was the camaraderie amongst the contestants in the earlier rounds, even when they thought the only way for them to win was for the others to fail. 

They must have trained as hard or harder than any elite athlete - the amount of stuff crammed into their brains is impressive. The tension and need to perform under pressure was as apparent as any sporting event. Thanks to ESPN for televising this.

These kids have achieved an incredibly impressive mastery of spelling, haven't they?

Here's a list of the words correctly spelled by Rishik Gandharsi, the co-champion from San Jose. You can go all your life without ever seeing most of these:

crambo
invincible
Yiddishkeit
hendiadys
Aufgabe
hinalea
keriah
frailejón
myctophid
bottarga
coryphée
chelydroid
Nyaya
fravashi
tjaele
rhathymia
murrain
anthocyanin
auslaut

[76lsjumb]

Those kids blew me away...I was hoping, hoping, hoping that they would all spell their last words correctly. And the pure joy on their faces when they realized they were going to win. The amazing thing was the camaraderie amongst the contestants in the earlier rounds, even when they thought the only way for them to win was for the others to fail. 

They must have trained as hard or harder than any elite athlete - the amount of stuff crammed into their brains is impressive. The tension and need to perform under pressure was as apparent as any sporting event. Thanks to ESPN for televising this.

These kids have achieved an incredibly impressive mastery of spelling, haven't they?

Here's a list of the words correctly spelled by Rishik Gandharsi, the co-champion from San Jose. You can go all your life without ever seeing most of these:

crambo
invincible
Yiddishkeit
hendiadys
Aufgabe
hinalea
keriah
frailejón
myctophid
bottarga
coryphée
chelydroid
Nyaya
fravashi
tjaele
rhathymia
murrain
anthocyanin
auslaut

If you treat a myctophid with anthocyanin, it becomes invincible.

There you go...

[76lsjumb]

Those kids blew me away...I was hoping, hoping, hoping that they would all spell their last words correctly. And the pure joy on their faces when they realized they were going to win. The amazing thing was the camaraderie amongst the contestants in the earlier rounds, even when they thought the only way for them to win was for the others to fail. 

They must have trained as hard or harder than any elite athlete - the amount of stuff crammed into their brains is impressive. The tension and need to perform under pressure was as apparent as any sporting event. Thanks to ESPN for televising this.

These kids have achieved an incredibly impressive mastery of spelling, haven't they?

Here's a list of the words correctly spelled by Rishik Gandharsi, the co-champion from San Jose. You can go all your life without ever seeing most of these:

crambo
invincible
Yiddishkeit
hendiadys
Aufgabe
hinalea
keriah
frailejón
myctophid
bottarga
coryphée
chelydroid
Nyaya
fravashi
tjaele
rhathymia
murrain
anthocyanin
auslaut

If you treat a myctophid with anthocyanin, it becomes invincible.

There you go...

[martyup]

Hey, I thought that the words were supposed to be in English.

[martyup]

Hey, I thought that the words were supposed to be in English.

[Hulk01]

Scripps blew it.   They should have given the finalists the word achomlishments.

[Hulk01]

Scripps blew it.   They should have given the finalists the word achomlishments.

[oldalum]

In today's age, a spelling bee seems about as anachronistic as a math contest using slide rules. Quaint, even charming, but not a modern-day ability.

[oldalum]

In today's age, a spelling bee seems about as anachronistic as a math contest using slide rules. Quaint, even charming, but not a modern-day ability.

[Mick]

In today's age, a spelling bee seems about as anachronistic as a math contest using slide rules. Quaint, even charming, but not a modern-day ability.

Generally speaking, I agree.  At the same time, proper spelling seems to be a lost art.  Do you feel someone is a blockchain expert when it's spelled "block chain" on their bio?

[Mick]

In today's age, a spelling bee seems about as anachronistic as a math contest using slide rules. Quaint, even charming, but not a modern-day ability.

Generally speaking, I agree.  At the same time, proper spelling seems to be a lost art.  Do you feel someone is a blockchain expert when it's spelled "block chain" on their bio?

[oldalum]

As a card-carrying member of the grammar police, I strongly dislike bad spelling. It's just that we have available instant tools for looking up correct spelling, and software that underlines words that may be misspelled, so knowing how to spell odd words is not as important as it was. (I don't like autocorrect, though, because it usually introduces more errors than it fixes for me).

Along those lines, I notice your correct usage of "it's." It's often used when "its" is correct, including on this board, but I hold my tongue!

[oldalum]

As a card-carrying member of the grammar police, I strongly dislike bad spelling. It's just that we have available instant tools for looking up correct spelling, and software that underlines words that may be misspelled, so knowing how to spell odd words is not as important as it was. (I don't like autocorrect, though, because it usually introduces more errors than it fixes for me).

Along those lines, I notice your correct usage of "it's." It's often used when "its" is correct, including on this board, but I hold my tongue!

[BostonCard]

Moreover, in an era when the skills people will need to succeed are creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork, being able to memorize a dictionary, while impressive, is a complete waste of time.

BC

[BostonCard]

Moreover, in an era when the skills people will need to succeed are creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork, being able to memorize a dictionary, while impressive, is a complete waste of time.

BC

[terry]

As a card-carrying member of the grammar police, I strongly dislike bad spelling. It's just that we have available instant tools for looking up correct spelling. . . .

Moreover, in an era when the skills people will need to succeed are creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork, being able to memorize a dictionary, while impressive, is a complete waste of time.

BC

I'm with oldalum. I strongly dislike bad spelling. But there's a difference between between being mindful of your spelling and doing what those kids do in the National Spelling Bee. Most of the words they're spelling are so obscure that nobody is ever going to see them, let alone need to spell them. And if by some chance one of those words ever were to come up, it would be easy to look up the spelling. I agree with BC that it's a massive waste of time to memorize the spelling of words like those. I suppose there's some value to developing the discipline needed in this competition, but there are other ways to develop discipline. The time spent on memorizing arcane words could have been spent on something more useful, such as learning a foreign language, learning a musical instrument, developing athletic skills, enjoying nature, or posting on the Cardboard.

[terry]

As a card-carrying member of the grammar police, I strongly dislike bad spelling. It's just that we have available instant tools for looking up correct spelling. . . .

Moreover, in an era when the skills people will need to succeed are creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork, being able to memorize a dictionary, while impressive, is a complete waste of time.

BC

I'm with oldalum. I strongly dislike bad spelling. But there's a difference between between being mindful of your spelling and doing what those kids do in the National Spelling Bee. Most of the words they're spelling are so obscure that nobody is ever going to see them, let alone need to spell them. And if by some chance one of those words ever were to come up, it would be easy to look up the spelling. I agree with BC that it's a massive waste of time to memorize the spelling of words like those. I suppose there's some value to developing the discipline needed in this competition, but there are other ways to develop discipline. The time spent on memorizing arcane words could have been spent on something more useful, such as learning a foreign language, learning a musical instrument, developing athletic skills, enjoying nature, or posting on the Cardboard.

[Hank 91]

Two things. Because I'm a middle school English teacher, the first rounds of the National Spelling Bee take place in my classroom, when I run class bees all day long one day in November. The winner of each class bee advances to the school spelling bee. Those kids, forty or so, compete until we have a winner that then goes on to the regional bee, and that winner advances to the National Bee in Washington. In that way, it's one of the more democratic competitions out there, kind of like golf's U.S. Open. Any kid wants to study the list can qualify, and that's what I always tell my students, even though it's a long shot. Last year, though, our school's winner did just that -- she advanced all the way to Washington and even made it through the qualifying rounds once she got there -- there's a written test, and then two rounds of regular spelling before the final round. She was eventually eliminated, finishing somewhere in the teens and earning a few thousands dollars. The best part of it all, though, was what it meant for the school. Middle schoolers are not always the most supportive bunch, but EVERYONE was invested in her success. Most classrooms had computers tuned to ESPN, and it gave me goosebumps to see her on screen with "Stanford Middle School -- Long Beach, CA" listed below her name. When she spelled her word correctly, the entire classroom cheered, even those who didn't know her. Seconds later, the principal jumped on the intercom and announced, "Dina just spelled ________ correctly!" More cheers. When she came back to school a few days later, I told her that I wished she could somehow have been with us as well so she could've seen and felt how much the whole thing meant. It was awesome. (Oh, and in case you've ever wondered, like I have, about how so many kids return to the bee for two or three years, here's the answer: Our student didn't win her regional this year, but since she advanced to the finals last year, she got a wildcard entry to Washington this year.)

Here's the second thing -- if you're interested in the spelling bee at all, you must watch the 2002 documentary Spellbound. It follows several kids -- probably six or eight -- as they wind their way through the qualification process and get to the national bee. It's really quite good.

[Hank 91]

Two things. Because I'm a middle school English teacher, the first rounds of the National Spelling Bee take place in my classroom, when I run class bees all day long one day in November. The winner of each class bee advances to the school spelling bee. Those kids, forty or so, compete until we have a winner that then goes on to the regional bee, and that winner advances to the National Bee in Washington. In that way, it's one of the more democratic competitions out there, kind of like golf's U.S. Open. Any kid wants to study the list can qualify, and that's what I always tell my students, even though it's a long shot. Last year, though, our school's winner did just that -- she advanced all the way to Washington and even made it through the qualifying rounds once she got there -- there's a written test, and then two rounds of regular spelling before the final round. She was eventually eliminated, finishing somewhere in the teens and earning a few thousands dollars. The best part of it all, though, was what it meant for the school. Middle schoolers are not always the most supportive bunch, but EVERYONE was invested in her success. Most classrooms had computers tuned to ESPN, and it gave me goosebumps to see her on screen with "Stanford Middle School -- Long Beach, CA" listed below her name. When she spelled her word correctly, the entire classroom cheered, even those who didn't know her. Seconds later, the principal jumped on the intercom and announced, "Dina just spelled ________ correctly!" More cheers. When she came back to school a few days later, I told her that I wished she could somehow have been with us as well so she could've seen and felt how much the whole thing meant. It was awesome. (Oh, and in case you've ever wondered, like I have, about how so many kids return to the bee for two or three years, here's the answer: Our student didn't win her regional this year, but since she advanced to the finals last year, she got a wildcard entry to Washington this year.)

Here's the second thing -- if you're interested in the spelling bee at all, you must watch the 2002 documentary Spellbound. It follows several kids -- probably six or eight -- as they wind their way through the qualification process and get to the national bee. It's really quite good.

[76lsjumb]

I understand the sentiment, but I'm sure at least one of these 13-year-olds might reasonably ask:  If it's not useful for me to memorize the spelling of arcane words, where do I sign up to get a chance to win $50,000 by "enjoying nature"?  

For that matter, James Holzhauer seems to be making a reasonable living right now as a grown-up based on having crammed his brain full of arcane information...

[76lsjumb]

I understand the sentiment, but I'm sure at least one of these 13-year-olds might reasonably ask:  If it's not useful for me to memorize the spelling of arcane words, where do I sign up to get a chance to win $50,000 by "enjoying nature"?  

For that matter, James Holzhauer seems to be making a reasonable living right now as a grown-up based on having crammed his brain full of arcane information...

[BostonCard]

Similar thing when our local high school won the national robotics competition:

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/loca...976f3.html

(We don't even have a kid in the high school yet, but the middle school was abuzz with the news as well).

I think in terms of getting people cheering on anything academic, the spelling bee is great, and I always find it interesting that the national title makes it to ESPN.  And while I might object to some of the skills, there is something to be said for the mental discipline and focused required to learn the words.  Still, I would love to see things like a robotics competition, or, to emphasize non-STEM disciplines, something like speech and debate as well.

By the way, the democracy of the national spelling bee is somewhat undermined by the fact that it is now possible to buy your entry into the national spelling bee.

https://sports.yahoo.com/parents-can-buy...45399.html

BC

[BostonCard]

Similar thing when our local high school won the national robotics competition:

https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/loca...976f3.html

(We don't even have a kid in the high school yet, but the middle school was abuzz with the news as well).

I think in terms of getting people cheering on anything academic, the spelling bee is great, and I always find it interesting that the national title makes it to ESPN.  And while I might object to some of the skills, there is something to be said for the mental discipline and focused required to learn the words.  Still, I would love to see things like a robotics competition, or, to emphasize non-STEM disciplines, something like speech and debate as well.

By the way, the democracy of the national spelling bee is somewhat undermined by the fact that it is now possible to buy your entry into the national spelling bee.

https://sports.yahoo.com/parents-can-buy...45399.html

BC

[Hank 91]

That's interesting. I remember hearing about the RSVBee last year, but I never knew what it meant. Also, if you watch the documentary I mentioned above, you'll see that much like anything remotely competitive, it was never as democratic as we might've thought. It's not like all these kids are sitting alone in the library studying the dictionary; most of the serious competitors have coaches -- spelling coaches and language coaches -- just the way volleyball players and soccer players will have individual trainers. It all costs money, so the bright kids whose parents have money to burn have a brobdingnagian advantage over the bright kids whose parents are struggling to keep the lights on.

[Hank 91]

That's interesting. I remember hearing about the RSVBee last year, but I never knew what it meant. Also, if you watch the documentary I mentioned above, you'll see that much like anything remotely competitive, it was never as democratic as we might've thought. It's not like all these kids are sitting alone in the library studying the dictionary; most of the serious competitors have coaches -- spelling coaches and language coaches -- just the way volleyball players and soccer players will have individual trainers. It all costs money, so the bright kids whose parents have money to burn have a brobdingnagian advantage over the bright kids whose parents are struggling to keep the lights on.

[terry]

I understand the sentiment, but I'm sure at least one of these 13-year-olds might reasonably ask:  If it's not useful for me to memorize the spelling of arcane words, where do I sign up to get a chance to win $50,000 by "enjoying nature"?  

"In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks."  -- John Muir

[terry]

I understand the sentiment, but I'm sure at least one of these 13-year-olds might reasonably ask:  If it's not useful for me to memorize the spelling of arcane words, where do I sign up to get a chance to win $50,000 by "enjoying nature"?  

"In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks."  -- John Muir

[oldalum]

"In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks."  -- John Muir

That was certainly true for that hiker in Hawaii!

[oldalum]

"In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks."  -- John Muir

That was certainly true for that hiker in Hawaii!

[76lsjumb]

I understand the sentiment, but I'm sure at least one of these 13-year-olds might reasonably ask:  If it's not useful for me to memorize the spelling of arcane words, where do I sign up to get a chance to win $50,000 by "enjoying nature"?  

"In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks."  -- John Muir

touché

History and Etymology for touché
French, from past participle of toucher to touch, from Old French tuchier

[76lsjumb]

I understand the sentiment, but I'm sure at least one of these 13-year-olds might reasonably ask:  If it's not useful for me to memorize the spelling of arcane words, where do I sign up to get a chance to win $50,000 by "enjoying nature"?  

"In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks."  -- John Muir

touché

History and Etymology for touché
French, from past participle of toucher to touch, from Old French tuchier