I do not think I will be able to record the Italian song today, because I have a sore throat. I will probably do it later in the week. Today, I will finish the Italian section, then go onto Japanese tomorrow (or whenever I can).
For the Final Day of Italian Rules:
The "ts" sound is spelled zz. (examples: intermezzo, palazzo, pizzicato)
There are words that have tt. (examples: allegretto, graffito, regatta)
The "ny" sound is spelled gn. (examples: agnolotti, Bolognese, malmignatte)
The "sk before the long or short "e" sound is spelled sch. (examples: maraschino, scherzo)
The schwa at the end of the word is spelled with an a. (examples: buffa, camorra, cantata)
A lot of words in Italian have a silent g. (examples: intaglio, gnocchi, and scagliola)
Like in Latin and French, Italian words usually avoid using the letter k.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Aiming High/Sister's, Cousin's, and Friend's Studies
After Anna-Marie Sprenger tied for 27th at the National Spelling Bee this year, I learned that several of my friends want to win the National Spelling Bee. They first were inspired by me and were disappointed that I never saw my dream become reality, but Anna-Marie brought me joy when she was the first speller from Utah to make it to semifinals! If you are reading this, Anna-Marie, I say that this is a huge accomplishment! Advancing to semifinals sure is not easy. Thanks for encouraging my friends!
I wanted to win when Kavya Shivashankar won in 2009. She was only ten when she made it to the Championship Finals in 2006 and I was very impressed. Kavya was a great inspiration to me and I wish her sister, Vanya, the best of luck next year!
You always want to do better than before. For example, a speller ties for 14th this year, then wins next year. Sukanya Roy tied for 12th in 2009 and 20th in 2010, but won this year. It does not matter how low your ranking was, but it is all the time and effort you put into this.
My sister wants to advance to semifinals next year, then will try to make it to championship finals. She is really studying hard now. I started her with the Nintendo DS and she has made it to the Ultimate Level, but has difficulties figuring out several words. She has also been using Visual Thesaurus (visualthesaurus.com/bee) and that has been pretty helpful, even if she does not have an account. I do not have an account, either, but still love to use it.
Here are some of her favorite words:
Abib (aveev)
caffeol
bhutatathata
Maecenas
hyperbole
eohippus
Bewusstseinslage
snipsnapsnorum
visite
I do not know how my cousin is doing, because she is either going to compete at the Daily Camera Spelling Bee in Boulder, Colorado or the Denver Post Spelling Bee in Denver, Colorado. If she does the Daily Camera Spelling Bee, she may have a good chance of making it to nationals, but at the Denver Post Spelling Bee, there is Dhivya Murugan, who tied for sixth this year, so I do not know my cousin's chances there.
I have a friend who lives in Arkansas and he is a really good speller. When he lived here in Utah, he won his school spelling bee two years in a row. He even received the word infralapsarianism and spelled it correctly. He knows a lot of music terms, too, because he plays the violin.
All of my friends are contenders to win their regional bees. I cannot wait to see the results! Good luck to all and continue spelling!
I wanted to win when Kavya Shivashankar won in 2009. She was only ten when she made it to the Championship Finals in 2006 and I was very impressed. Kavya was a great inspiration to me and I wish her sister, Vanya, the best of luck next year!
You always want to do better than before. For example, a speller ties for 14th this year, then wins next year. Sukanya Roy tied for 12th in 2009 and 20th in 2010, but won this year. It does not matter how low your ranking was, but it is all the time and effort you put into this.
My sister wants to advance to semifinals next year, then will try to make it to championship finals. She is really studying hard now. I started her with the Nintendo DS and she has made it to the Ultimate Level, but has difficulties figuring out several words. She has also been using Visual Thesaurus (visualthesaurus.com/bee) and that has been pretty helpful, even if she does not have an account. I do not have an account, either, but still love to use it.
Here are some of her favorite words:
Abib (aveev)
caffeol
bhutatathata
Maecenas
hyperbole
eohippus
Bewusstseinslage
snipsnapsnorum
visite
I do not know how my cousin is doing, because she is either going to compete at the Daily Camera Spelling Bee in Boulder, Colorado or the Denver Post Spelling Bee in Denver, Colorado. If she does the Daily Camera Spelling Bee, she may have a good chance of making it to nationals, but at the Denver Post Spelling Bee, there is Dhivya Murugan, who tied for sixth this year, so I do not know my cousin's chances there.
I have a friend who lives in Arkansas and he is a really good speller. When he lived here in Utah, he won his school spelling bee two years in a row. He even received the word infralapsarianism and spelled it correctly. He knows a lot of music terms, too, because he plays the violin.
All of my friends are contenders to win their regional bees. I cannot wait to see the results! Good luck to all and continue spelling!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Italian Rules - Part 2
The "y" + long "o" sound at the end of the word is spelled io. (examples: latticinio, preludio, verdicchio)
The "eenie" sound at the end of the word is spelled ini. (examples: rappini, spiedini, ditalini)
The "ch" sound is spelled cc. (examples: focaccia, breccia, carpaccio)
The "k" sound before schwa or long "o" sound is spelled cc or just c (examples: beccafico, zoccolo, pecorino, giocoso)
The "k" sound before schwa, short "a" is spelled c. (examples: cantata, campanile)
The "k" sound before the long "e", short "e", or long "a" sounds is spelled ch. (examples: chianti, chiaroscuro, marchesa)
Tomorrow will be the last day of posting Italian rules. Hopefully I will get a song up in Italian as well. So continue spelling and study a lot! Good luck!
The "eenie" sound at the end of the word is spelled ini. (examples: rappini, spiedini, ditalini)
The "ch" sound is spelled cc. (examples: focaccia, breccia, carpaccio)
The "k" sound before schwa or long "o" sound is spelled cc or just c (examples: beccafico, zoccolo, pecorino, giocoso)
The "k" sound before schwa, short "a" is spelled c. (examples: cantata, campanile)
The "k" sound before the long "e", short "e", or long "a" sounds is spelled ch. (examples: chianti, chiaroscuro, marchesa)
Tomorrow will be the last day of posting Italian rules. Hopefully I will get a song up in Italian as well. So continue spelling and study a lot! Good luck!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Italian Rules - Part 1
Sorry for the long wait, but I will start posting the Italian rules! If you play an instrument and you receive music term at the National Spelling Bee, it is most likely Italian. I recently played a song called Romanze by Schumann, and I have to play it semplice, affettuoso. If you receive a food word, it may be Italian. Food from Italy is very delicious. In my food and nutrition class, I did a report on Italian food. Here are some: gnocchi, prosciutto, Bolognese, and perciatelli. (See more explanations at the bottom)
In choir, there was a section in one of our songs that was in Italian, but some of us thought it was Latin. Latin has a big impact on Italian.
Now for some rules:
The long "a" sound at the end of the word is spelled with an e. (examples: tagliatelle, pappardelle, scintillante)
The long "e" sound at the end of the word can be spelled with an i or e. (examples: fettuccelle, brindisi, ziti, cannelloni, panettone, lazzarone)
The long "e" + long "o" sound at the end of the word. (examples: atrio, nuncio, capriccio)
Hints for Italian:
Whenever you go to a restaurant, read the menus because there are a lot of words to learn. Before the 2010 National Spelling Bee, I went to Olive Garden and learned several words. Gnocchi was one of the words I encountered. I tried it and it was pretty good. A few weeks later, the word was used at the National Spelling Bee.
If you play an instrument, pay attention to the words. Some are giocoso, siciliano, semplice, sonata, concerto, fughetta, acciaccatura and arioso. The winning word in 2005 is an Italian word. What word is it? Appoggiatura. This word is also in Suzuki Flute School Volume 5 and 6. Paying attention to words pays off, too!
In choir, there was a section in one of our songs that was in Italian, but some of us thought it was Latin. Latin has a big impact on Italian.
Now for some rules:
The long "a" sound at the end of the word is spelled with an e. (examples: tagliatelle, pappardelle, scintillante)
The long "e" sound at the end of the word can be spelled with an i or e. (examples: fettuccelle, brindisi, ziti, cannelloni, panettone, lazzarone)
The long "e" + long "o" sound at the end of the word. (examples: atrio, nuncio, capriccio)
Hints for Italian:
Whenever you go to a restaurant, read the menus because there are a lot of words to learn. Before the 2010 National Spelling Bee, I went to Olive Garden and learned several words. Gnocchi was one of the words I encountered. I tried it and it was pretty good. A few weeks later, the word was used at the National Spelling Bee.
If you play an instrument, pay attention to the words. Some are giocoso, siciliano, semplice, sonata, concerto, fughetta, acciaccatura and arioso. The winning word in 2005 is an Italian word. What word is it? Appoggiatura. This word is also in Suzuki Flute School Volume 5 and 6. Paying attention to words pays off, too!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Origins I Will Post Over the Next Few Weeks
Here are some origins that I will write about over the next few weeks:
Italian
Japanese
Spanish
Arabic
Sanskrit/Hindi
Turkish
Greek/Latin
Slavic
Imitative/Unknown Origin
Uncommon Origins: Mayan, Tagalog, Icelandic, Basque, Welsh, Gaelic, Chinese, and others
Do not get worried if I miss an entire week of posting or even longer, because I still have more homework to do after my Geometry classes.
In fact, I will post videos of some of the origins (if I have time). If I can use my dad's video camera and video editor, the words will show up as I say them. If I cannot, I will have to spell or write them on my board. I will also sing a song from each language if I know any.
Italian
Japanese
Spanish
Arabic
Sanskrit/Hindi
Turkish
Greek/Latin
Slavic
Imitative/Unknown Origin
Uncommon Origins: Mayan, Tagalog, Icelandic, Basque, Welsh, Gaelic, Chinese, and others
Do not get worried if I miss an entire week of posting or even longer, because I still have more homework to do after my Geometry classes.
In fact, I will post videos of some of the origins (if I have time). If I can use my dad's video camera and video editor, the words will show up as I say them. If I cannot, I will have to spell or write them on my board. I will also sing a song from each language if I know any.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
I Guess I Will Be Learning Afrikaans and Zulu
Other than learning French, I guess I will have to learn Afrikaans and Zulu. Why? I recently learned that the tour group of my choir is going to South Africa next year! It is either that or the World Choir Games in Cincinnati, Ohio. My choir apparently has gone on so many tours, but I do not think there has been one since 2006. I will name some places: Jerusalem, a lot of places in China (Xiamen - 2006 World Choir Games, Guilin, Xian, and many more places), England, Norway, D.C., Jordan, and New York City. The choir has gone to places multiple times, and our choir director does not remember everywhere we've been to.
Here are some Zulu-derived words:
mbaqanga
impala
mamba
indaba
I posted Afrikaans words several weeks ago, so check that out.
I am just so excited for the tour even if it is a year away! We were invited by the Drakensberg Boys Choir director, and the invitation was accepted! I also hope we go to the World Choir Games, too!
Here are some Zulu-derived words:
mbaqanga
impala
mamba
indaba
I posted Afrikaans words several weeks ago, so check that out.
I am just so excited for the tour even if it is a year away! We were invited by the Drakensberg Boys Choir director, and the invitation was accepted! I also hope we go to the World Choir Games, too!
Watch Replays of the 2011 National Spelling Bee/"Is it Just My Luck, or am I Getting All French Words?"
Do you want to watch the moments of the 2011 National Spelling Bee, again? You can by watching replays at this website http://espn.go.com/espn3/index/_/sport/kids. Make sure you click the button by All Times Eastern, then click on All. After, go down and choose a video to watch.
If you do not have ESPN or your parents are watching the NBA Finals, you can watch on the website live! It is free and you can also do the Play Along Version. I used this version from Rounds 2-20. It was very fun and I felt like I was still competing! For you spellers, this is good training. Listen to all the information (that is if the spellers ask for anything), then pay attention to every letter. Before, I had to cover up the word, then write it in my notebook, but now, I get to spell along (I still have to write the words in my notebook).
In 2003, Samir Patel asked, "Is it just my luck, or am I getting all French words?" An origin that has so many confusing rules. Since 2009, one speller (Nicholas Rushlow) has always received French words in Round 4. (2009 - noisette, 2010 - devant (divon), 2011 - devoir). In every spelling bee I have been in since fifth grade, I have always received a French word in Round 5. I did get a few later, but my French words always began in Round 5. I have only missed two French words in competition, but never in Round 5.
If you do not have ESPN or your parents are watching the NBA Finals, you can watch on the website live! It is free and you can also do the Play Along Version. I used this version from Rounds 2-20. It was very fun and I felt like I was still competing! For you spellers, this is good training. Listen to all the information (that is if the spellers ask for anything), then pay attention to every letter. Before, I had to cover up the word, then write it in my notebook, but now, I get to spell along (I still have to write the words in my notebook).
In 2003, Samir Patel asked, "Is it just my luck, or am I getting all French words?" An origin that has so many confusing rules. Since 2009, one speller (Nicholas Rushlow) has always received French words in Round 4. (2009 - noisette, 2010 - devant (divon), 2011 - devoir). In every spelling bee I have been in since fifth grade, I have always received a French word in Round 5. I did get a few later, but my French words always began in Round 5. I have only missed two French words in competition, but never in Round 5.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Summer is Almost Over
There is exactly a month and nine days away from my first day of high school! Summer was pretty fun this year, but it feels so much slower than 2005-2010. I have been finishing Webster's Third (I have the X, Y, and Z sections to finish), doing Geometry (This class is really fun, especially constructions and all the Algebra in it), reading, writing, playing my flute; piano, blogging, camping, and spending time with cousins. Enjoy your summer and continue studying!
I will start posting Italian rules tomorrow or Friday, so I have time to post a lot.
I will begin writing a spelling bee book to help aid spellers. The book will be called Spell with Your Heart! I cannot post a lot today, because I have a test tomorrow! Good luck with spelling!
I will start posting Italian rules tomorrow or Friday, so I have time to post a lot.
I will begin writing a spelling bee book to help aid spellers. The book will be called Spell with Your Heart! I cannot post a lot today, because I have a test tomorrow! Good luck with spelling!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
German Rules - Part 2
In the past, I have read a lot of books on World War 2/the Holocaust. There are a lot of good German-originated words in them, but I had to look each one up in Webster's Third. Some words are austausch, Anschluss, and blitzkrieg. Here are some World War 2 books I recommend, The Diary of a Young Girl, The Hiding Place, Four Perfect Pebbles, Biography of Anne Frank: The Biography, Survivors, and Number the Stars (this was my favorite book when I was a little girl). You will learn a lot of new words from these books,
Here is a list of books on the Holocaust:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1720.Best_Holocaust_Books
Time for more German rules:
The "ch" and "sh" sounds are spelled sch. (examples: seneschal, kitsch, bergschrund) Glitch is an exception to this rule.
The "k" is spelled with a g. (examples: Bundestag, Jugendstil)
The "k" + guttural sounds is spelled lich (examples: geistlich, frohlich). In choir, the director says it is very important to pronounce the ch words with the guttural sounds, or else the Germans will laugh (I don't know if that's true, but the director said it). In songs such as "Stille Nacht" (Silent Night), "O Come, Little Children" (which we have a verse in German: "Ihr Kinderlein Kommet"), "Ade zur Guten Nacht" (Farewell and Goodnight), and "Kling Glockchen" (Ring, Little Bell), there are so many words with the guttural sound.
The "v" sound is spelled with a w. (examples: Weimaraner, leberwurst, weltpolitik)
German Dog Breeds: Did you know that German has several names of dog breeds?
Here are some:
affenpinscher
Doberman
dachshund
Weimaraner
I do not believe that I finished the German section earlier than I expected. There are thousands of more rules to look up. Whenever I can, I will start doing Italian-derived words. If you love food and/or you are a musician, you may recognize a lot of these words.
Here is a list of books on the Holocaust:
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1720.Best_Holocaust_Books
Time for more German rules:
The "ch" and "sh" sounds are spelled sch. (examples: seneschal, kitsch, bergschrund) Glitch is an exception to this rule.
The "k" is spelled with a g. (examples: Bundestag, Jugendstil)
The "k" + guttural sounds is spelled lich (examples: geistlich, frohlich). In choir, the director says it is very important to pronounce the ch words with the guttural sounds, or else the Germans will laugh (I don't know if that's true, but the director said it). In songs such as "Stille Nacht" (Silent Night), "O Come, Little Children" (which we have a verse in German: "Ihr Kinderlein Kommet"), "Ade zur Guten Nacht" (Farewell and Goodnight), and "Kling Glockchen" (Ring, Little Bell), there are so many words with the guttural sound.
The "v" sound is spelled with a w. (examples: Weimaraner, leberwurst, weltpolitik)
German Dog Breeds: Did you know that German has several names of dog breeds?
Here are some:
affenpinscher
Doberman
dachshund
Weimaraner
I do not believe that I finished the German section earlier than I expected. There are thousands of more rules to look up. Whenever I can, I will start doing Italian-derived words. If you love food and/or you are a musician, you may recognize a lot of these words.
Monday, July 18, 2011
German Rules - Part 1
I love spelling German words, and I love saying them. My favorite word is Bewusstseinslage, which is German. Did you know that German has an enormous influence on the English language? Did you know when you are saying "gesundheit" after someone sneezes, you are speaking German? My favorite Christmas carols are originally German, but they were translated to English. In fact, German is my favorite language to study for the spelling bee.
If you know your German roots very well, you will have no trouble figuring out a word, unless there is no specific root the word comes from.
Here are some words that have certain roots:
gemeinde - German root meaning "common, general"
gemeinschaft - same as gemeinde's root + German root schaft meaning "ship"
heiligenschein - German root heilig meaning "holy" + German root schein meaning "shine"
nachtmusik - German root nacht meaning "night" + German root musik meaning "music"
caffeol - German root kaffee meaning "coffee" (That may throw you off a bit, but this word also contains the International Scientific Vocabulary root ol meaning "a chemical compound containing hydroxyl").
Let's get some rules in:
German words use k's, ck's, and ch's very often. They tend to avoid c's, except if the word comes from a different language. (examples: glockenspiel, geistlich).
I have been wondering where the "i" came from, but my guess is the "i" after the "e". If my sister makes it nationals next year, I will have to ask him.
The long "e" sound is spelled ie. (examples: vorspiel, kunstlied)
The long "i" sound is spelled ei. (examples: Fahrenheit, gneiss, schwamerei, schalstein)
The "f" sound is spelled with a v. (examples: volkerwanderung, vorlage, leitmotiv)
The schwa is usually spelled with an e. (examples: Bewusstseinslage, gemeinde, pickelhaube)
Those are all the rules I will post today, but I will write on about schwas in German.
If you do not know what a schwa is, here is the definition: "neutral vowel sound, usually an unstressed syllable".
Whenever we learn a German song in choir, the director says it is extremely important to pronounce the schwas correctly. When we say guten (which is German for good), we must say it "goo-tuhn". In Stille Nacht (Silent Night), stille is pronounced (shtee-luh), this also goes for heilige, traute, Knabe, lockigen, and other words. (These words are not in Webster's Third. They are original German words that have never gone into English)
German is a very fun origin, and I will continue writing whenever I can this week!
If you know your German roots very well, you will have no trouble figuring out a word, unless there is no specific root the word comes from.
Here are some words that have certain roots:
gemeinde - German root meaning "common, general"
gemeinschaft - same as gemeinde's root + German root schaft meaning "ship"
heiligenschein - German root heilig meaning "holy" + German root schein meaning "shine"
nachtmusik - German root nacht meaning "night" + German root musik meaning "music"
caffeol - German root kaffee meaning "coffee" (That may throw you off a bit, but this word also contains the International Scientific Vocabulary root ol meaning "a chemical compound containing hydroxyl").
Let's get some rules in:
German words use k's, ck's, and ch's very often. They tend to avoid c's, except if the word comes from a different language. (examples: glockenspiel, geistlich).
I have been wondering where the "i" came from, but my guess is the "i" after the "e". If my sister makes it nationals next year, I will have to ask him.
The long "e" sound is spelled ie. (examples: vorspiel, kunstlied)
The long "i" sound is spelled ei. (examples: Fahrenheit, gneiss, schwamerei, schalstein)
The "f" sound is spelled with a v. (examples: volkerwanderung, vorlage, leitmotiv)
The schwa is usually spelled with an e. (examples: Bewusstseinslage, gemeinde, pickelhaube)
Those are all the rules I will post today, but I will write on about schwas in German.
If you do not know what a schwa is, here is the definition: "neutral vowel sound, usually an unstressed syllable".
Whenever we learn a German song in choir, the director says it is extremely important to pronounce the schwas correctly. When we say guten (which is German for good), we must say it "goo-tuhn". In Stille Nacht (Silent Night), stille is pronounced (shtee-luh), this also goes for heilige, traute, Knabe, lockigen, and other words. (These words are not in Webster's Third. They are original German words that have never gone into English)
German is a very fun origin, and I will continue writing whenever I can this week!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Words Missed at the 2006 National Spelling Bee by Two Spellers, then Missed in 2010 and 2011 by One Speller/Other Words Used in the Past, but Used Again/Strange Fact
After looking over the 2006, 2010 and 2011 results, I realized that one speller from the 2010-2011 Bee got the words the third and second place spellers missed in 2006, but missed them two different years. Do you know which words those are? The words are icteritious and weltschmerz.
Other words are hukilau and syringadenous. If you realized that all these words were used in later rounds back in 2006, they were used in earlier rounds this year! For example, syringadenous was used in Round 11 in 2006, but used in Round 5 this year. This means that the Bee is getting more difficult! It is probably easier for spellers, because they learn new words all the time and improve on word patterns. Some words, such as hyphaeresis, oeillade, and perciatelli, were words used in 2006 (Rounds 1 and 2), but used in later rounds in 2008 (hyphaeresis) and 2009 (oeillade and perciatelli).
It pays off to study past spelling bees. Some words that have been used in the past, then appeared again are:
hyalithe
periscii
psittacosis
blancmange
cossette
devoir
tiralee
fustanella
noisette
canicular
guerdon
stromuhr
theremin
boudin
Did you know that the French word connoisseur has been the most frequently used word at the National Spelling Bee? Yes, it is. There are so many words that are used over and over again.
I do not have time to write a lot today, because I have camp with my church. I will try to bring my laptop, so I can still write.
Good luck spellers!
Other words are hukilau and syringadenous. If you realized that all these words were used in later rounds back in 2006, they were used in earlier rounds this year! For example, syringadenous was used in Round 11 in 2006, but used in Round 5 this year. This means that the Bee is getting more difficult! It is probably easier for spellers, because they learn new words all the time and improve on word patterns. Some words, such as hyphaeresis, oeillade, and perciatelli, were words used in 2006 (Rounds 1 and 2), but used in later rounds in 2008 (hyphaeresis) and 2009 (oeillade and perciatelli).
It pays off to study past spelling bees. Some words that have been used in the past, then appeared again are:
hyalithe
periscii
psittacosis
blancmange
cossette
devoir
tiralee
fustanella
noisette
canicular
guerdon
stromuhr
theremin
boudin
Did you know that the French word connoisseur has been the most frequently used word at the National Spelling Bee? Yes, it is. There are so many words that are used over and over again.
I do not have time to write a lot today, because I have camp with my church. I will try to bring my laptop, so I can still write.
Good luck spellers!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Setting Goals Has Great Rewards
Have you ever set a goal? It does not matter how great it is, just as long as it is achievable. It may be as small as finishing your homework before a certain time or trying to run a mile in under ten minutes, or as great as memorizing lines for a play or winning the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
It is good to make goals, because there are great rewards in the end. Some of my personal goals are to obtain excellent grades, learn music pieces, help spellers to do their best at whatever level they are at, and improve my time in the mile run.
Why should you set goals? It is good to challenge yourself and strive to improve. There is always something that you can do better, and setting goals is a way to that. A goal may seem unattainable, but with perseverance and practice it is possible to succeed.
My dad says, "In order to achieve a goal, you must work with diligence". I need to find time do what I need to do. For example, I practice my flute for an hour, every day. Currently, I am working on Concerto No. 1 in G Major K.313 by Mozart. This piece is extremely long, fast, and challenging, but with practice I can master it. I will have to play this for a Flute Federation in April, so I had to begin a year in advance.
A great achievement I made within the last few months was being promoted to the tour group of my choir. I joined a choir, and I had to work hard to reach the highest level of the International Children's Choir. In order to be promoted, I had to be in the choir for at least two semesters and I had to work very hard. Some members take three semesters or more before being promoted.
Sometimes, we must make sacrifices. You may have to stop doing something else for a while, in order to aim for your goals. Instead of hanging out with friends after homework, I would study ahead, study spelling, practice singing, and the flute and piano, continue writing my books, and do chores.
My history teacher told us, "It is important to stay organized and stay on top of things. That is why you have a planner." My planner is very useful so I know what is due the next class, what I can work on ahead of time, what special events I need to attend, and so much more. I also use it so I can write down what goals I need to obtain and when I can do them.
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Never give up! Do not be discouraged, because you did not achieve a goal. After I learned that there was no spelling bee sponsor for my area in 2007-2008, I never gave up. I decided to continue studying and I have never missed a day of studying since 2005. I am still studying for future Bees, such as the AARP National Spelling Bee. After five years of never making it to National Spelling Bee, I realized that there was good that came out of it. I had learned a lot of words, I increased my vocabulary, I learned the setup of the Bee, I learned stage presence, and so much more that I cannot mention them all! You always learn from your mistakes.
Believe you can achieve your goals. Lead with a positive attitude, and always do your best. It is important to dream big, and it does not matter what anybody says, because in the end, that is what matters the most.
Good luck to all of the spellers!
It is good to make goals, because there are great rewards in the end. Some of my personal goals are to obtain excellent grades, learn music pieces, help spellers to do their best at whatever level they are at, and improve my time in the mile run.
Why should you set goals? It is good to challenge yourself and strive to improve. There is always something that you can do better, and setting goals is a way to that. A goal may seem unattainable, but with perseverance and practice it is possible to succeed.
My dad says, "In order to achieve a goal, you must work with diligence". I need to find time do what I need to do. For example, I practice my flute for an hour, every day. Currently, I am working on Concerto No. 1 in G Major K.313 by Mozart. This piece is extremely long, fast, and challenging, but with practice I can master it. I will have to play this for a Flute Federation in April, so I had to begin a year in advance.
A great achievement I made within the last few months was being promoted to the tour group of my choir. I joined a choir, and I had to work hard to reach the highest level of the International Children's Choir. In order to be promoted, I had to be in the choir for at least two semesters and I had to work very hard. Some members take three semesters or more before being promoted.
Sometimes, we must make sacrifices. You may have to stop doing something else for a while, in order to aim for your goals. Instead of hanging out with friends after homework, I would study ahead, study spelling, practice singing, and the flute and piano, continue writing my books, and do chores.
My history teacher told us, "It is important to stay organized and stay on top of things. That is why you have a planner." My planner is very useful so I know what is due the next class, what I can work on ahead of time, what special events I need to attend, and so much more. I also use it so I can write down what goals I need to obtain and when I can do them.
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." Never give up! Do not be discouraged, because you did not achieve a goal. After I learned that there was no spelling bee sponsor for my area in 2007-2008, I never gave up. I decided to continue studying and I have never missed a day of studying since 2005. I am still studying for future Bees, such as the AARP National Spelling Bee. After five years of never making it to National Spelling Bee, I realized that there was good that came out of it. I had learned a lot of words, I increased my vocabulary, I learned the setup of the Bee, I learned stage presence, and so much more that I cannot mention them all! You always learn from your mistakes.
Believe you can achieve your goals. Lead with a positive attitude, and always do your best. It is important to dream big, and it does not matter what anybody says, because in the end, that is what matters the most.
Good luck to all of the spellers!
French Rules - Part 3
Even if I have had How to Spell Like a Champ since 2008, I just realized that the French rules take up the most pages of the etymology section.
Like in Latin, French words tend to avoid using the letter k.
Words with the "k" sound is spelled with a que. (examples: roquelaure, claque, cinque)
Words with the "g" sound at the end of the word is spell with a gue. (examples: gigue, fugue, morgue)
Words with the "el" sound at the end of the word can be spelled elle and el . (examples: chandelle, casquetel, nacelle, jumelle, morel)
Words with the schwa + the "l" sound are spelled with el. (examples: bevel, estoppel, enamel)
Words with the "w" + "oz" sound are spelled with oise. (examples: ardoise, bourgeoise, nicoise)
Words with the "n" + "y" sound are spelled gn. (examples: beignet, rognon, espagnole, guignolet)
Words with the "n" + "w" sound are spelled gnoi (examples: baignoire, peignoir)
Words with the schwa + "r" sound are spelled eur (examples: fleuron, siffleur, flaneur)
Words with the "il" sound are spelled ille (examples: coquille, quadrille, espadrille)
Silent Letters
The rules that annoyed me the most were silent letters (other than the long "a" sound and "ahn") . They do not annoy me anymore, but here are some:
Silent T: maillot, ouvert, griot
Silent S: coulis, apropos
Silent G: bersagliere
Silent X: faux, roux, bordereaux
Silent L: email (ay-mI)
Silent P: coup
Silent D: sangfroid
There are a lot more, so look them up.
The schwa + "r" sound is spelled re. such as oeuvre, ogre, and massacre.
Study all the French rules you can study, and you can do well. Remember to study the exceptions, too!
Like in Latin, French words tend to avoid using the letter k.
Words with the "k" sound is spelled with a que. (examples: roquelaure, claque, cinque)
Words with the "g" sound at the end of the word is spell with a gue. (examples: gigue, fugue, morgue)
Words with the "el" sound at the end of the word can be spelled elle and el . (examples: chandelle, casquetel, nacelle, jumelle, morel)
Words with the schwa + the "l" sound are spelled with el. (examples: bevel, estoppel, enamel)
Words with the "w" + "oz" sound are spelled with oise. (examples: ardoise, bourgeoise, nicoise)
Words with the "n" + "y" sound are spelled gn. (examples: beignet, rognon, espagnole, guignolet)
Words with the "n" + "w" sound are spelled gnoi (examples: baignoire, peignoir)
Words with the schwa + "r" sound are spelled eur (examples: fleuron, siffleur, flaneur)
Words with the "il" sound are spelled ille (examples: coquille, quadrille, espadrille)
Silent Letters
The rules that annoyed me the most were silent letters (other than the long "a" sound and "ahn") . They do not annoy me anymore, but here are some:
Silent T: maillot, ouvert, griot
Silent S: coulis, apropos
Silent G: bersagliere
Silent X: faux, roux, bordereaux
Silent L: email (ay-mI)
Silent P: coup
Silent D: sangfroid
There are a lot more, so look them up.
The schwa + "r" sound is spelled re. such as oeuvre, ogre, and massacre.
Study all the French rules you can study, and you can do well. Remember to study the exceptions, too!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
More French Rules/Spelling Bee Club - I Still Need Help!
I am still collecting the French words, but I will add more French rules.
The "et" sound can be spelled ette or et. Helpful Hint: Ette can mean "little one" or "female", while et can mean "small one" and it is masculine. (examples: noisette, heiferette, baronet) Sometimes the word can be pronounced with a schwa, such as rochet and burgonet.
The "ahzh" sound is spelled as age. (examples: maquillage, persiflage, bavardage, vernissage)
The "odd" sound is spelled as ade. (examples: persillade, roulade, boutade)
The "oo" sound can be spelled ou, u, or ieu. Two French members in my choir say that the French should be pronounced almost like ew. (examples: bouffant, fichu, bondieuserie) Helpful Hint: Like in bondieuserie, if you hear the French root dieu, ask this: "Does this contain the French root dieu meaning 'God'?" If it does, spell it, but if it doesn't, probably go with du, but it doesn't hurt to try dieu still. Remember that if the pronouncer says, "I don't see that here", it doesn't necessarily mean you are on the wrong track.
The "air" sound can be spelled aire or air. (examples: legionnaire, debonair)
The "sh" sound can be spelled ch or sh. Helpful Hint: How will you know which one to use, unless you have seen the word (This goes for other French rules, as well)? If the word comes from a different language before entering French, such as Turkish or Hungarian, the spelling will most likely be sh. (examples: chablis, shagreen) Try to look them up.
Remember that there are more spellings for each rule.
Don't French rules seem very annoying? There are thousands of rules and exceptions.
Those are all the French rules I will post today. I will finish up the French section tomorrow, then we'll go to German section. The German rules may take longer than the French rules, because there are a lot of roots that are very helpful.
The spelling bee club planning is still in progress. I still need help and support, so please email me at spellingchamp135@gmail.com. I am working on a schedule, too, and it is a very long process. The club is going to be open to Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Juab, and Wasatch Counties, and any speller who visits the area. Don't worry if you don't live in the area or ever visit, because the sessions will be recorded, and loaded on to this blog!
The "et" sound can be spelled ette or et. Helpful Hint: Ette can mean "little one" or "female", while et can mean "small one" and it is masculine. (examples: noisette, heiferette, baronet) Sometimes the word can be pronounced with a schwa, such as rochet and burgonet.
The "ahzh" sound is spelled as age. (examples: maquillage, persiflage, bavardage, vernissage)
The "odd" sound is spelled as ade. (examples: persillade, roulade, boutade)
The "oo" sound can be spelled ou, u, or ieu. Two French members in my choir say that the French should be pronounced almost like ew. (examples: bouffant, fichu, bondieuserie) Helpful Hint: Like in bondieuserie, if you hear the French root dieu, ask this: "Does this contain the French root dieu meaning 'God'?" If it does, spell it, but if it doesn't, probably go with du, but it doesn't hurt to try dieu still. Remember that if the pronouncer says, "I don't see that here", it doesn't necessarily mean you are on the wrong track.
The "air" sound can be spelled aire or air. (examples: legionnaire, debonair)
The "sh" sound can be spelled ch or sh. Helpful Hint: How will you know which one to use, unless you have seen the word (This goes for other French rules, as well)? If the word comes from a different language before entering French, such as Turkish or Hungarian, the spelling will most likely be sh. (examples: chablis, shagreen) Try to look them up.
Remember that there are more spellings for each rule.
Don't French rules seem very annoying? There are thousands of rules and exceptions.
Those are all the French rules I will post today. I will finish up the French section tomorrow, then we'll go to German section. The German rules may take longer than the French rules, because there are a lot of roots that are very helpful.
The spelling bee club planning is still in progress. I still need help and support, so please email me at spellingchamp135@gmail.com. I am working on a schedule, too, and it is a very long process. The club is going to be open to Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, Juab, and Wasatch Counties, and any speller who visits the area. Don't worry if you don't live in the area or ever visit, because the sessions will be recorded, and loaded on to this blog!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
French Rules/Words
I am very sorry about the French words. Unfortunately, I am still collecting them and the list will not be completed, until about mid-August.
For now, here are some of my favorites:
bertillonage
polatouche
devoir
debonair
decoupage
echappe
echappee
chevet
chevee
ressentiment
Some French tips
The long a sound can be spelled e,ee, ez, et, or ier. (examples: decoupage, suviez, melee, duvet, pompier)
The long e sound can be spelled ee or ie (examples: fricassee, gaminerie)
The ahn sound can be spelled ant, ment, mets, on, emps, in, en, em, or oint and possibly several other ways. (examples: devant, avalement, entremets, frisson, baragouin, malentendu, croquembouche, embonpoint)
The long o sound can be spelled eau, eaux (if it is plural), au, ot, o, or aut. (examples: heaume, Watteaux, gaufrette, escargot, shako*, soubresaut)
*I hope you realized that shako does not start with a c. This word is originally Hungarian, then it entered French, so it starts with s. What Hungarian word was used at the National Spelling Bee this year? Puszta.
What other Hungarian to French words can you name? How about Slavic? (Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, and others)
Those are all the rules I'm going to put up today, but hopefully I will get more in. I was supposed to post the French words before semifinals, but I got too busy.
Good luck to everyone, and continue spelling!
For now, here are some of my favorites:
bertillonage
polatouche
devoir
debonair
decoupage
echappe
echappee
chevet
chevee
ressentiment
Some French tips
The long a sound can be spelled e,ee, ez, et, or ier. (examples: decoupage, suviez, melee, duvet, pompier)
The long e sound can be spelled ee or ie (examples: fricassee, gaminerie)
The ahn sound can be spelled ant, ment, mets, on, emps, in, en, em, or oint and possibly several other ways. (examples: devant, avalement, entremets, frisson, baragouin, malentendu, croquembouche, embonpoint)
The long o sound can be spelled eau, eaux (if it is plural), au, ot, o, or aut. (examples: heaume, Watteaux, gaufrette, escargot, shako*, soubresaut)
*I hope you realized that shako does not start with a c. This word is originally Hungarian, then it entered French, so it starts with s. What Hungarian word was used at the National Spelling Bee this year? Puszta.
What other Hungarian to French words can you name? How about Slavic? (Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, and others)
Those are all the rules I'm going to put up today, but hopefully I will get more in. I was supposed to post the French words before semifinals, but I got too busy.
Good luck to everyone, and continue spelling!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
One of My Spelling Bee Lists has about 90% of the Words Used During Semifinals and Finals this Year!
One of my lists I have never made changes to since December 25, 2010, contains a majority of the words used during semifinals and finals this year. After I watched the National Spelling Bee, I was wondering why I knew most of the words. First of all, I thought it was just etymology patterns that ran through my mind. Actually, it was my word list that had a lot of them.
Words that were misspelled will be red
Here are some of them:
caffeol
choralcelo
espadon (I was pretty glad this was on my list, or espadonne would have been my spelling)
devoir
boudin
boutade
haori
mansuetude
andouille
meridienne
rougeot
hexafoos
fissipedal
pallium
limacine
withernam
whirlicote
loure
privatim
solenne
degringolade
volkerwanderung
watteau
entremets
talmouse
seneschal
bondieuserie
cioppino (This word is on several of my lists, because it is on the Nintendo DS game)
rapprochement
zortzico
staffage
gravicembalo
capercaillie
sarangousty
cheongsam (Another word I studied from the DS game as well)
huipil
puszta
solferino
keitloa
zwischenspiel (My cousin's favorite word)
Those five words (the yellow highlighted ones) were used in Round 13.
sorites
empressement
certiorari
rhabdomancer
Again, those were just some of them. These words were just spread all over the list. None of them were by each other. Actually, there were several words used during semifinals and finals that were all by each other.
Here they are in the order I found them:
zanja (Round 15)
naumkeag (Round 17)
cebell (Round 16)
galoubet (Round 17)
Jugendstil (Round 17)
lekane (Round 16)
tersanctus (Round 5)
brisance (Round 5)
hooroosh (Round 18)
sangsue (Round 15)
thalassocracy (Round 7)
I went through the results and list several times, and I have all the words a speller received. They are all highlighted in orange.
The winning word, cymotrichous, is not on the list, but it is on my other lists. Spellers, look for your words!
If I have time tomorrow, I will post French derived words!
Good luck, and continue studying!
Spell with your dream!
Spell with your heart!
Spell with your love!
Words that were misspelled will be red
Here are some of them:
caffeol
choralcelo
espadon (I was pretty glad this was on my list, or espadonne would have been my spelling)
devoir
boudin
boutade
haori
mansuetude
andouille
meridienne
rougeot
hexafoos
fissipedal
pallium
limacine
withernam
whirlicote
loure
privatim
solenne
degringolade
volkerwanderung
watteau
entremets
talmouse
seneschal
bondieuserie
cioppino (This word is on several of my lists, because it is on the Nintendo DS game)
rapprochement
zortzico
staffage
gravicembalo
capercaillie
sarangousty
cheongsam (Another word I studied from the DS game as well)
huipil
puszta
solferino
keitloa
zwischenspiel (My cousin's favorite word)
Those five words (the yellow highlighted ones) were used in Round 13.
sorites
empressement
certiorari
rhabdomancer
Again, those were just some of them. These words were just spread all over the list. None of them were by each other. Actually, there were several words used during semifinals and finals that were all by each other.
Here they are in the order I found them:
zanja (Round 15)
naumkeag (Round 17)
cebell (Round 16)
galoubet (Round 17)
Jugendstil (Round 17)
lekane (Round 16)
tersanctus (Round 5)
brisance (Round 5)
hooroosh (Round 18)
sangsue (Round 15)
thalassocracy (Round 7)
I went through the results and list several times, and I have all the words a speller received. They are all highlighted in orange.
The winning word, cymotrichous, is not on the list, but it is on my other lists. Spellers, look for your words!
If I have time tomorrow, I will post French derived words!
Good luck, and continue studying!
Spell with your dream!
Spell with your heart!
Spell with your love!
Warm Weather
Today in Salt Lake, it almost reached 100 degrees. Why am I talking about the weather? I'll be honest, but I do not know. There are several weather words, although.
- anemometer - an instrument to measure the speed or force of the wind
- barometer - instrument that measure air pressure
- blizzard
- climate
- Fahrenheit
- Celsius
- evaporation
- condensation
- precipitation
- contrail - streaks of condensed water vapor created in the air by an airplane or rocket at high altitudes
- drizzle - light rain
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