Ophelimity

Neetu Chandak, 13, from Seneca Falls, NY, spelled ophelimity correctly but spelled derriengue incorrectly during the 82nd annual Scripps National Spelling Bee. Neetu spelled derriengue with only one "r".

The first word, ophelimity, means economic satisfaction or the ability to please another. The second word, derriengue, is a Spanish term for a deadly disease in cattle caused by a vampire bat. Some of the other words in the challenge were gyascutus, sardoodledum, isagoge and apodyterium.

I, for one, would probably have gotten ophelimity wrong never mind derriengue. Those are very tough words to spell, words I have never even heard of until now. I used to be a good speller in public school and I was entered into a spelling bee competition once. It was a lot of fun but I remember being under so much pressure. I remember stubbling on a word I knew how to spell but was so nervous I blew it. I don't remember now what the word was and it really isn't important anyway.

The kids that attend these spelling bees are put under enourmous pressure and if they make a mistake like Neetu did, well, they are only human.

Kavya Shivashank, 13, of Olathe, Kansas won the competition this year with the word Laodicean. Laodicean means lukewarm or apathetic (in regards to religion). Congratulations to Kavya and runners-up in this competition.