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.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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!