Saturday, June 2, 2007

A CORRECTION FOUR YEARS IN THE MAKING: As posted last night by Spelling Bee Mom:
The word "email" given in round 1 of 2003 was much harder than you probably think.

The speller was not given the familiar word referring to electronic mail.

She got an entirely different word, with a very different meaning, pronunciation, and etymology.

The word "email" that was pronounced for the speller in the 2003 round 1 was "ay-my" with the first syllable rhyming with "hay" and the second syllable rhyming with "why." The Webster's definitions given were 1. enamel and 2. a moderate bluish green to greenish blue that is lighter than gendarm, deeper than cyan blue, and duller than parrot blue--called also bleu Louise.

The origin of the word is French.

The more familiar everyday "email" meaning electronic mail was not in the Webster's Third New International Dictionary back in 2003, so it could not have been used in the bee that year.
The Management regrets the error.

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