The National Spelling Bee

Ha,
I guess if you just put the web address on this forum it Automatically writes the HTML to link it.

That's handy with short urls, but mind grinding with long ones because they stretch the screen. If you arrange it the way I did in the second post; it is both more user friendly and more pleasing to the eye.

Osso, I checked out the link. I'm not even a little surprised that the former winners are doing well. Preparing for the bee teaches, focus, discipline, and dealing with pressure.

It was interesting to see the old winning words--I heard of most of them.

I used to love that bee (feeling less grouchy after some sleep), but it seems to have gotten out of hand. Too important, too hard, too obscure.

For those who still love it, I say great. eoe, you liked the definitions? Ancient weapons, dances, etc. Why not.

I've heard about the definitions bee. It will be interesting to see. And I've seen the national geographt bee. Challenging, to say the least.

This site shortens unwieldy links: http://snipurl.com/index.php

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As for the Spelling Bee:

I'm a lousy, rotten speller and I'm also a proud intellectual snob. I'm not against school sports and glorifying the kids that play school sports, but I think cerebral athletes (and the artistically gifted) also deserve the status that comes with conspicuous success.

Many kids today equate dubious fame, "celebrity status" with being important. Competitions like the National Spelling Bee give legitimate fame to those who have earned it.

I couldn't agree more, Noddy. I applaud any contest that requires children to think and use their minds. Especially nowadays when in some communities, it's just not cool to be academically inclined.

I am not in any way diminishing the achievement of those who do well. I think they've earned and deserved all the recognition they get. I agree that academic achievement should be lauded.

I've always watched and enjoyed the national spelling bee. I expressed two concerns.

The first is that it's changed in the last few years. It's gone from having students spell difficult and challenging words we may run across in life to spelling obscure words that most of us are not likely to ever encounter. I see little value in this, but that's beside the point.

The second is motivation. If students truly want to do this, I say great. Go to it. I'm concerned that there are students studying for this (hours daily) because their parents want them to. This upsets me, as it would in any similar situation--parents imposing their will and their desire or ambitions on kids who would prefer to do something else.

I no longer enjoy the bee the way I once did. For those who still enjoy, I say great.

Roberta--

I think something has been lost by featuring very obscure words. Perhaps the organizers felt this obscurity was necessary to level the playing field for the kids who drill and drill and drill on common words.

I'm also troubled because by choosing obscure words the Spelling Bee organizers seem to be saying that accurate spelling is an esoteric discipline out of the reach of "common folks".

If the National Spelling Bee loses its audience, it will lose its advertisers and the words next year may be more humble and more entertaining.

The Other Languages forum here on A2K is flooded with people who want English Sentiments translated into Latin Words to wear as tattoos.

I think there may be a connection between glorification of obscure words and uplifting sentiments in an foreign language.

Bear with me--I'm still fumbling for the concept. I think that both phenomena are manifestations of an intellectual superstition...

Does that sound plausible?

I can spell arcane words beyond the ordinary persons wildest dreams. Therefore I am superior.
Maybe it sells, I dont know. I dont see the value in spelling bees or these "mathlete" thingys. Unless you want to be a lexicographer or a smart-ass, why bother learning the precise spelling of words you'll probably never use?

Quincy--

I'm all for allowing the rest of the world to indulge in peculiar hobbies--after all, I can't stop them and they don't need either my permission or my blessing.

Are you suggesting that we learn only what's practical? That would be a sorry state of affairs. I'm all for knowledge for knowledge's sake.

All I'm saying is that FOR ME the bee ain't what it used to be. It's gone beyond what I can relate to. As I typed that, it occurred to me that maybe that's what I've been kvetching about. I can longer relate to it in a personal way. I've got a better than average vocabulary, and I'm a better than average speller. But there's nothing in the bee that I can relate to anymore. It might as well be a contest of any obscure subject that I know nothing about.