Saturday, November 20, 2010
Spelling Bee tonight!
We'll see you tonight at Joe Van Gogh Durham. Sign-up at 6:00 p.m. Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m. The first 25 spellers get a spot. Every speller gets a prize! Everyone else achieves total enlightenment.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Prizes!
The kind folks at Joe Van Gogh are providing the big prizes for the Bee!
1st place wins a 10-cup Melitta Pourover pot, #6 filters, bag of coffee, and a travel mugThere will also be consolations for everyone because, let's face it, everyone's a loser except the last person standing! Not the best motto for the Durham Spelling Bee? Come with your suggestions on Saturday night.
2nd place wins a bag of coffee and travel mug
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Durham's Spelling Bee for Grown-Ups this Saturday!
Come on out to the Durham Spelling Bee on Saturday, November 20th at Joe Van Gogh. Cheer for your favorite spellers and give it a try, yourself. Support local Durham. Achieve enlightenment. Become happy forever.
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
There is a limit of 25 spellers, so come out and sign up early. There will be prizes!
View Larger Map
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
There is a limit of 25 spellers, so come out and sign up early. There will be prizes!
View Larger Map
Friday, November 12, 2010
Want to be in a documentary? Filming the Spelling Bee
A Duke student contacted me about filming the Durham Spelling Bee for a documentary film class. He would like to get some interviews with participants before the bee. Would you like to be interviewed before the upcoming Nov. 20 Bee?
Kyle Kunkle will be filming the Bee at Joe Van Gogh on the 20th. He is interested in talking to you beforehand about how you are preparing (or not) for the spelling bee and why you are participating or what you like about it. If you have not participated before, but are planning on it for November 20, he would still be interested in hearing from you. If you'd like to help him out, please contact Kyle at:
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Words that should be banished from the English Language
I was thinking about the word webinar today and what an ugly word it is. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it was first used in 1997 in a publication called DM News (it turns out that DM stands for Direct Marketing, which further solidifies and justifies my hatred of the word). This web + seminar construction gives rise to other equally ugly words like webisode and vlog.
I like new words that are useful, but constructions like this one seem a bit too twee for my taste. Webinar... it is one of those words that will seem exceedingly quaint in about 10 years. Luckily, the Durham Spelling Bee uses the Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, as its source, where these words do not appear. So, you will never encounter them at the bee. You're welcome.
Are there any words you think should be banished? Leave a comment.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Durham Spelling Bee November 20!
Nothing says mid-autumn pre-Thanksgiving amusement like the Durham Spelling Bee. And you're in luck because the next one is coming up on Saturday, November 20th at the lovely Joe Van Gogh coffee house, 1104B Broad Street, in Durham (map).
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
You have two and a half weeks to bone up (or not). Want some pointers? We have lots of word lists.
There is a limit of 25 spellers (unlimited friends and enthusiasts) so you'll want to arrive early enough to sign up, mingle, and enjoy the best espresso drinks in North Carolina. Bring a friend and cheer each other on. Oh, and there will be prizes!
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
You have two and a half weeks to bone up (or not). Want some pointers? We have lots of word lists.
There is a limit of 25 spellers (unlimited friends and enthusiasts) so you'll want to arrive early enough to sign up, mingle, and enjoy the best espresso drinks in North Carolina. Bring a friend and cheer each other on. Oh, and there will be prizes!
Friday, October 22, 2010
Winner of the April 24th Durham Spelling Bee!
Hello spellers,
I have been remiss in my reporting duties. It is one of those cases in which a person gets busy, a certain amount of time passes, and then the person gets kind of embarrassed by how far behind he got on his reporting duties. I am happy to report that the person is well beyond the embarrassment stage, past the ashamed stage, and resting comfortably in the "just post something" stage, so the person can update now.
The winner of our April 24th Durham Spelling Bee is Jen Poole! Jen stayed in for 10 rounds, spelling every word given to her seemingly effortlessly. Jen made a last-minute decision to join the roster of spellers, and look what happened! This proves something... something about snap decisions changing the course of history. Yes, the world is a better place because each of the thirteen spellers decided to spell and have fun. You don't even want to think about what the world would be like now had they not made their decisions. Keep this important lesson in mind.
I don't have the list in front of me at the moment so I will have to come back later to tell you the winning word. Joe Nofziger is our 2nd place winner for the 2nd time in a row. Will he be a contender in our next Bee? Will you? Let's find out!
I have been remiss in my reporting duties. It is one of those cases in which a person gets busy, a certain amount of time passes, and then the person gets kind of embarrassed by how far behind he got on his reporting duties. I am happy to report that the person is well beyond the embarrassment stage, past the ashamed stage, and resting comfortably in the "just post something" stage, so the person can update now.
The winner of our April 24th Durham Spelling Bee is Jen Poole! Jen stayed in for 10 rounds, spelling every word given to her seemingly effortlessly. Jen made a last-minute decision to join the roster of spellers, and look what happened! This proves something... something about snap decisions changing the course of history. Yes, the world is a better place because each of the thirteen spellers decided to spell and have fun. You don't even want to think about what the world would be like now had they not made their decisions. Keep this important lesson in mind.
I don't have the list in front of me at the moment so I will have to come back later to tell you the winning word. Joe Nofziger is our 2nd place winner for the 2nd time in a row. Will he be a contender in our next Bee? Will you? Let's find out!
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Spelling bee tonight
The Durham Spelling Bee is tonight, Saturday, April 24th at Joe Van Gogh. Spellers from 15 to 115 are welcome to compete. Support local Durham. Cheer for your favorite spellers!
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
There is a limit of 25 spellers, so sign up early if you want a spot. There will be prizes!
View Larger Map
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
There is a limit of 25 spellers, so sign up early if you want a spot. There will be prizes!
View Larger Map
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Bonus for Durham Spelling Bee blog readers
Faithful readers get a tiny bonus just for reading. One of the following words will be included in the pool of words we will use at the third Durham Spelling Bee this Saturday night:palisadeAnd there you have it. Cheers.
tempestuous
resilient
scurvy
inclement
trough
buckwagon
begonia
irony
recommend
obstreperous
dingo
pernicious
quagmire
tamale
surrogate
abdicate
adulation
Monday, April 19, 2010
So you think you can spell?
The kind folks over at SO YOU THINK YOU CAN SPELL? have written a nice blog post about us. It's an honor to be included in the same sphere as the Williamsburg Spelling Bee, the AARP National Spelling Bee, and the Scripps National Spelling Bee (the big kahuna).
Their book is So You Think You Can Spell?: Killer Quizzes for the Incurably Competitive and Overly Confident. The subtitle says it all.
I have worked my way through about half of the book, and I can say it is simultaneously fun and humbling. For example, pick the correct spelling: herculian/herculeian/herculaean/herculaean/herculean. How about bonnehommie/bonhommie/bonhomie/bonnehomie? Back in October, I wrote a one-line review of it elsewhere: "You think you know... but you don't know." Don't let that discourage you; think of it as a brain-tickler. The authors, David Grambs and Ellen Levine, have included plenty of variety in the quizzes and games, and the book is interspersed with interesting facts about words, lexicography, and language. There is also a brief history of the spelling bee in America (and remember: you can be a part of that history this coming Saturday night!).
I have worked my way through about half of the book, and I can say it is simultaneously fun and humbling. For example, pick the correct spelling: herculian/herculeian/herculaean/herculaean/herculean. How about bonnehommie/bonhommie/bonhomie/bonnehomie? Back in October, I wrote a one-line review of it elsewhere: "You think you know... but you don't know." Don't let that discourage you; think of it as a brain-tickler. The authors, David Grambs and Ellen Levine, have included plenty of variety in the quizzes and games, and the book is interspersed with interesting facts about words, lexicography, and language. There is also a brief history of the spelling bee in America (and remember: you can be a part of that history this coming Saturday night!).
Saturday, April 17, 2010
One week until the next bee
Come on out to the next Durham Spelling Bee on Saturday, April 24th at Joe Van Gogh. Spellers from 15 to 115 are welcome to compete. Spectators of all ages are welcome, too. Cheer for your favorite spellers. Support local Durham. Maybe become famous on the Internet!
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
There is a limit of 25 spellers, so sign up early if you want a spot. There will be prizes!
View Larger Map
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
There is a limit of 25 spellers, so sign up early if you want a spot. There will be prizes!
View Larger Map
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Another gem from Quite Interesting, this time about lost languages:
There are about 6,900 languages being spoken in the world today. Unesco estimates that half of these will have disappeared by the end of the century as the languages of world commerce – English, Chinese and Spanish – spread.
And my favorite bit:
The last speakers of Zoque, a language from Tabasco, Mexico, are two elderly men who refuse to speak to one another. Relatives claim their mutual silence isn't motivated by personal animosity but by the fact that they have little in common.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Next Durham Spelling Bee coming up!
The Durham Spelling Bee is coming up on Saturday, April 24th at Joe Van Gogh. It's a game of zest and test!*
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
You have more than two weeks to hone your spelling skills. If you'd like some pointers, scroll through this here blog; you'll find lots of spelling lists to choose from.
We are limited to 25 spellers, so you'll want to arrive early enough to sign up, mingle, and enjoy a beverage. Everyone likes rooters, too.
*From Paul Wing's Spelling Bee (Thanks, Jen!)
Sign up at 6:00 p.m.
Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
You have more than two weeks to hone your spelling skills. If you'd like some pointers, scroll through this here blog; you'll find lots of spelling lists to choose from.
We are limited to 25 spellers, so you'll want to arrive early enough to sign up, mingle, and enjoy a beverage. Everyone likes rooters, too.
*From Paul Wing's Spelling Bee (Thanks, Jen!)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
More from the March 13th Bee
My apologies for the delay in posting. Here is our winner, Colie Hoffman!
Colie's winning word was "schism." Colie and Joe Nofziger used up all the really difficult words (e.g. zugzwang, bouquiniste, lagniappe, estaminet, vichyssoise), so we had to revert to the merely difficult (e.g. muumuu, exchequer, mulct, troglodytic, asceticism). Several of the contestants went many rounds this time. Yippee!
Monday, March 15, 2010
2nd Bee results! DSB in the news.
Congratulations to Colie Hoffman, winner of the 2nd Durham Spelling Bee!
What a great time we all had! While there were fewer in attendance this time (I neglected to account for Spring break and some kind of basketball tournament thingy), there were more — far more — words than before. The Bee went 26 rounds, the final 16 of which added up to a head-to-head suspense-fest between Colie and Joe Nofziger, our 2nd place winner. There was a wonderful spirit of camaraderie in the air.
The event was covered by a reporter and a photographer from The Herald-Sun. They did a fine job of summing up the competition. Check out the story and photos. Thanks to Joe Van Gogh for providing prizes and for being such a delightful place to have fun and meet new friends.
What a great time we all had! While there were fewer in attendance this time (I neglected to account for Spring break and some kind of basketball tournament thingy), there were more — far more — words than before. The Bee went 26 rounds, the final 16 of which added up to a head-to-head suspense-fest between Colie and Joe Nofziger, our 2nd place winner. There was a wonderful spirit of camaraderie in the air.
The event was covered by a reporter and a photographer from The Herald-Sun. They did a fine job of summing up the competition. Check out the story and photos. Thanks to Joe Van Gogh for providing prizes and for being such a delightful place to have fun and meet new friends.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Durham Spelling Bee next Saturday!
The second Durham Spelling Bee is next week on Saturday, March 13. Sign-in at 6:00 p.m. Spelling begins at 6:30 p.m.
Something new: there will be a limit of 30 spellers, so please get there early enough to sign up, mingle, and enjoy a beverage.
The Bee will be at the excellent Joe Van Gogh, 1104B Broad Street. They have great beans. And they are providing great coffee prizes!
Something new: there will be a limit of 30 spellers, so please get there early enough to sign up, mingle, and enjoy a beverage.
The Bee will be at the excellent Joe Van Gogh, 1104B Broad Street. They have great beans. And they are providing great coffee prizes!
View Larger Map
I look forward to seeing you there!
Scripps regional qualifier results
The regional qualifier for the Scripps National Spelling Bee was exciting! Congratulations to Jessia Connelly, who will go on to represent the Durham/Orange County region at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington DC. Congratulations, also, to Amber McDonald for winning 2nd place. All the spellers were very impressive. What a great bunch of kids!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
It's National Grammar Day!
Celebrate National Grammar Day by reading "5 Easy Ways to Learn Grammar With The New York Times," and by visiting the Huffington Post's piece, "National Grammar Day 2010: Resources And The WORST Grammar Mistakes Ever."
(Is that sentence grammatically correct?)
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Duke hosts regional qualifier for the Scripps National Spelling Bee
This weekend, Duke University will host the regional qualifier for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Winning spellers from schools in Durham and Orange counties will compete for a spot in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC, June 2-4, 2010.
| What | Regional Spelling Bee |
|---|---|
| When | Mar 06, 2010 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. |
| Where | Duke University - Page Auditorium |
Winning spellers from schools in Durham and Orange counties will compete for a spot in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC, June 2-4, 2010.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Quite Interesting Facts About Words
The BBC broadcasts a television series called Quite Interesting - devoted to the attitudes of "curiosity, discovery and humour." It is hosted by the wonderful Stephen Fry. QI also has a regular column in the weekend Telegraph. In a recent article, some quite interesting facts about words are compiled, including this bit about word frequency:
P.S. While I am loathe to cite a Wikipedia article about anything, there is an interesting entry for Stephen Fry (at least as of 25 February 2010 at 10:04 p.m. EST).
Of the quarter of a million words in the OED [Oxford English Dictionary], about half are nouns, 25 per cent adjectives, 15 per cent verbs and the last 10 per cent are prepositions, conjunctions, suffixes etcetera. It is this last category that yields most of the top 10 most frequently used English words, according to a 2006 survey carried out by the Oxford English Corpus. They are: the, be, to, of, and, a, in, that, have and I. The 10 most popular nouns were: time, person, year, way, day, thing, man, world, life and hand. The 10 most popular verbs were: be, have, do, eat, sleep, drink, put, keep, run and walk. The 10 most popular adjectives: good, first, new, last, long, great, little, own, other and old.I am kind of surprised about hand and run and walk. Considering the source is the Oxford English Corpus -- which comes from literary textual sources, not the spoken word -- I suppose it does make sense.
P.S. While I am loathe to cite a Wikipedia article about anything, there is an interesting entry for Stephen Fry (at least as of 25 February 2010 at 10:04 p.m. EST).
Monday, February 15, 2010
Word of the moment
The word of the moment is salmagundi
Hobson-Jobson: A glossary of colloquial Anglo-Indian words and phrases, and of kindred terms, etymological, historical, geographical and discursive, by Sir Henry Yule. It was published in 1903 (and is quite politically incorrect). As it is out of copyright, there are free versions, both full-text and as a searchable database.
Sounds vaguely Anglo-Indian , doesn't it? But it's not; it is French in origin (salmigondis). Speaking of Anglo-Indian, that reminds me of one of my favorite dictionary titles:Pronunciation: sal-mə-ˈgən-dēnoun1. a salad plate of chopped meats, anchovies, eggs, and vegetables arranged in rows for contrast and dressed with a salad dressing
2. a heterogeneous mixture. potpourri
Hobson-Jobson: A glossary of colloquial Anglo-Indian words and phrases, and of kindred terms, etymological, historical, geographical and discursive, by Sir Henry Yule. It was published in 1903 (and is quite politically incorrect). As it is out of copyright, there are free versions, both full-text and as a searchable database.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
One month until the next DSB!
The second Durham Spelling Bee will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2010. Sign-in at 6:00 p.m. Spelling starts at 6:30 p.m.
As usual the Bee will be at everyone's favorite coffee house, Joe Van Gogh, 1104B Broad Street. Get yourself some beans!
And remember: there will be prizes!
As usual the Bee will be at everyone's favorite coffee house, Joe Van Gogh, 1104B Broad Street. Get yourself some beans!
And remember: there will be prizes!
View Larger Map
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tattoo spelling mistakes
Enjoy this gallery of the Worst Spelling Mistakes Made in Tattoos.
Thanks to Jen Dziura for the pointer.
Thanks to Jen Dziura for the pointer.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Word of the moment
The word of the moment is crapulous.
crap·u·lous
Pronunciation: KRA-pyə-ləs
adjective
Etymology: Late Latin crapulosus, from Latin crapula intoxication, from Greek kraipalē
Date: 1536
1 : marked by intemperance especially in eating or drinking
2 : sick from excessive indulgence in liquor
Example: "Rush Limbaugh is known for being a crapulous debauchee."
crap·u·lous
Pronunciation: KRA-pyə-ləs
adjective
Etymology: Late Latin crapulosus, from Latin crapula intoxication, from Greek kraipalē
Date: 1536
1 : marked by intemperance especially in eating or drinking
2 : sick from excessive indulgence in liquor
Example: "Rush Limbaugh is known for being a crapulous debauchee."
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Commonly misspelled words
accommodate, minuscule, occasionally, millennium...
There are lots of these kinds of lists out there. Here is one from YourDictionary.com:
100 Most OftenMispelled Misspelled Words in English
There are lots of these kinds of lists out there. Here is one from YourDictionary.com:
100 Most Often
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Winning words at the National Spelling Bee
Here are the winning words in each of the years from 1925 to 2009 at the National Spelling Bee. Don't be intimidated; we start out with much easier and happier words at the Durham Spelling Bee.
| 1925 gladiolus 1926 abrogate 1927 luxuriance 1928 albumen 1929 asceticism 1930 fracas 1931 foulard 1932 knack 1933 propitiatory 1934 deteriorating 1935 intelligible 1936 interning 1937 promiscuous 1938 sanitarium 1939 canonical 1940 therapy 1941 initials 1942 sacrilegious 1943 NO BEE 1944 NO BEE 1945 NO BEE 1946 semaphore 1947 chlorophyll 1948 psychiatry 1949 dulcimer 1950 haruspex 1951 insouciant 1952 vignette 1953 soubrette 1954 transept 1955 custaceology 1956 condominium 1957 schappe 1958 syllepsis 1959 cacolet 1960 troche 1961 smaragdine 1962 esquamulose 1963 equipage 1964 sycophant 1965 eczema 1966 ratoon 1967 chihuahua | 1968 abalone 1969 interlocutory 1970 croissant 1971 shalloon 1972 macerate 1973 vouchsafe 1974 hydrophyte 1975 incisor 1976 narcolepsy 1977 cambist 1978 deification 1979 maculature 1980 elucubrate 1981 sarcophagus 1982 psoriasis 1983 Purim 1984 luge 1985 milieu 1986 odontalgia 1987 staphylococci 1988 elegiacal 1989 spoliator 1990 fibranne 1991 antipyretic 1992 lyceum 1993 kamikaze 1994 antediluvian 1995 xanthosis 1996 vivisepulture 1997 euonym 1998 chiaroscurist 1999 logorrhea 2000 démarche 2001 succedaneum 2002 prospicience 2003 pococurante 2004 autochthonous 2005 appoggiatura 2006 ursprache 2007 serrefine 2008 guerdon 2009 Laodicean |
Monday, February 1, 2010
Spelling Bee Brouhaha
There's nothing worse than a sore loser... except maybe a litigious sore-loser Dad.
In a recent local Los Altos School Spelling Bee in California, a mistake was rightfully settled, declaring that two spellers should go on to the regional spelling bee. This is all good. Then, when a third boy's sore-loser dad decided he didn't like the outcome of the regional bee, he filed a $2-million lawsuit against the local sponsor. Fortunately, the court told the dad to get over it. You can read the brief story here:SerVaas, Joan. Spelling Bee Brouhaha. Saturday Evening Post, Jan/Feb2010, Vol. 282 Issue 1, p61
Sunday, January 24, 2010
1st Durham Spelling Bee Results!
Winner Collin Lee (right) and Spelling G
We all had a great time. There were 22 spellers from a total of about 70 people in attendance. A few of the spellers even came with their own cheering sections. Team Funk had especially creative signs. Words ranged from the fun and easy (welcome, friendly, spunky) to the face-squinching (gobemouche, eleemosynary, deipnosophist). See below for the complete list of words used in the Bee.
Many thanks to Tracy and Joe Van Gogh for sponsoring the Bee and providing the prizes (travel mugs, coffee beans and a $25 gift certificate!). Thanks also to Mike F. and Russ G. for providing audio equipment and to Mark D. for all the running around and troubleshooting. Special thanks go to Liz for saving the day with her technical and social expertise. She rocks so hard.
Here is a complete list of words used at the Bee:
welcome
friendly
greeting
salutation
leisure
pleasant
gratifying
agreeable
amiable
chummy
companionship
affectionate
amusement
harmony
entertainment
interesting
exciting
muffin
fearless
courage
valiant
spunky
abyss
access
anthem
cocoon
dillydally
enchilada
fictitious
fiery
gibberish
hubbub
jackal
juggernaut
lemonade
leotard
lozenge
macaroon
ointment
oxygen
posse
preen
quantum
sausage
accordionist
adjacent
aerial
affability
ambitious
barbarous
bellicose
billionaire
correspondent
cosmopolitan
dashiki
eloquent
exquisite
foofaraw
generalissimo
homonym
iniquity
jackanapes
poltroon
pompous
porcine
camaraderie
carillon
dirndl
echolalia
epitome
eschew
estuarine
flaneur
frigorific
gnocchi
inimitable
inveigle
juxtaposition
katzenjammer
legerdemain
otiose
pellagra
polloi
antimacassar
bouillabaisse
deipnosophist
dickcissel
ditokous
eleemosynary
galactorrhea
gobemouche
hohe
mansuetude
huhu
infundibuliform
More photos here:
Thanks to everyone for participating.
You all made it a fun event!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Prizes!
The lucky skillful winner will receive a coffee gift set: a Joe Van Gogh travel mug with a bag of their freshly roasted coffee!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
A 19th century slang dictionary
OK, strictly speaking, I'm straying a bit from the spelling bee here, but it is related. I love this kind of 19th century period slang. I should start incorporating more of it into everyday language. i.e.:
I reckon my friend, Jebediah Jones, will have a field day with this link.
"They began to suspicion, maybe, that they had got the wrong sow by the ear."
I reckon my friend, Jebediah Jones, will have a field day with this link.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Bonus for blog readers!
You, dear readers, get a little something for your effort. At least one of these words will be in the pool of potential words for the Durham Spelling Bee:
jovial
ridiculous
innate
obstinate
discern
mediocre
insidious
rupture
precipitate
erudite
colloquial
intractable
heinousness
zenith
alfalfa
mosque
alcohol
tariff
lilac
alcove
gulag
parka
robot
samovar
kremlin
troika
mammoth
peloton
barrage
chagrin
pacifism
manicure
Bon Appétit!
jovial
ridiculous
innate
obstinate
discern
mediocre
insidious
rupture
precipitate
erudite
colloquial
intractable
heinousness
zenith
alfalfa
mosque
alcohol
tariff
lilac
alcove
gulag
parka
robot
samovar
kremlin
troika
mammoth
peloton
barrage
chagrin
pacifism
manicure
Bon Appétit!
One week until Spelling Day
The 1st Bee is only one week away! Watch this space for PRIZES and rules.
Date/time/place/map are here:
http://durhamspellingbee.blogspot.com/2009/12/we-have-date-first-durham-spelling-bee.html
Date/time/place/map are here:
http://durhamspellingbee.blogspot.com/2009/12/we-have-date-first-durham-spelling-bee.html
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Harper's Index: "dictionary"
Don't you just love the Harper's Index? Now you can create your own custom list from their backfile.
Search Harper's Index: Numbers and statistics for "dictionary"
Too much fun!
Search Harper's Index: Numbers and statistics for "dictionary"
Too much fun!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
1,000 words
1,000 words: that is how many I have selected so far as the pool of words from which to choose during our first bee. We won't need that many (let's hope) but this will ensure that we have a nice mix of easy, medium, difficult, and championship words.
That's not so bad considering estimates indicating the average adult native speaker of English possesses a vocabulary of approximately 38,000 words (estimates vary widely as you might expect; that number is the average of several other averages I looked up, so take it with a grain of salt).
Rest assured that our 1,000 words are Grade-A Prime nutritious and delicious.
Monday, January 4, 2010
More spelling lists
Here are some more lists for you to print out and enjoy. From the preface:
Here are some more lists for you to print out and enjoy. From the preface:
The Consolidated Word List is a compilation of over 100 Scripps National Spelling bee word lists dating as far back as 1950. There are 23,413 unique words in this 2004 edition. Parts of speech, language origins, pronunciations, definitions, and sentences are provided for 43% (10,139) of these words. The words are divided into three categories:There is some overlap with the previously posted word lists. But, really, can there be too many word lists?
• Words Appearing Infrequently (6,615 words; 22% with word information)
• Words Appearing with Moderate Frequency (9,058 words; 40% with word information)
• Words Appearing Frequently (7,740 words; 66% with word information)
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Spelling Lists
Which words should I learn?
The official word source for the Durham Spelling Bee is Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. It is the largest American dictionary in existence. It contains more than 470,000 entries, so to make things easier for you, here are some links to the much smaller Consolidated Word Lists used by the Scripps National Spelling Bee:
Have fun!
The official word source for the Durham Spelling Bee is Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. It is the largest American dictionary in existence. It contains more than 470,000 entries, so to make things easier for you, here are some links to the much smaller Consolidated Word Lists used by the Scripps National Spelling Bee:
Have fun!
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