Arts America Wins Spelling Bee! America Wins Spelling Bee!
So last night was the first ever primetime television Scripps National Spelling Bee — which was, of course, AWESOME, and could only be improved upon by making all the kids live together in one house with a case of liquor. However! For reasons that are still galling to me, they actually let a CANADIAN participate in this classically AMERICAN competition which is HORSESHIT, I’m sure you’ll agree. And that little Canuck almost won! Thank god for the word “weltschmerz” or 14-year-old Toronto native Finola Mei Hwa Hacket (who I will agree was nerdy cute) would’ve won the whole shebang. Although it is ironic that a Canadian was defeated in an AMERICAN competition by a German word. Finally! Those krauts are good for something!
Anyhoo, big ups to New Jersey gal and AMERICAN, 13-year-old Katharine Close for bringing home the spelling gold with the word “ursprache” — which originally meant “parent language” and now has a new meaning. U…S…A! U…S…A! U…S…A!
Up yours, Canada!
I've got quite a case of weltschmerz over all the strange words ... apparently German is the ursprache. I imagine the English-only crowd has got their panties in a twist this morning.