Humuhumunukunukuapuaa

Can you spell this word? (Or even pronounce it?) "Humuhumunukunukuapuaa" is of Hawaiian derivation and is the name of a small triggerfish. And it just happens to be one of the favorite words of spellers currently competing in the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee. Yes--this is the week in which 293 eager spellers are converging on Washington, D.C. for the most prestigious of all bees. No one from Urbana-Champaign made the cut this year, but Central Illinois is well-represented. You can watch the survivors vie live on television. ABC is carrying the finals at 7:00 p.m. CDT this Thursday, May 28, 2009.

If you want to find out more about the Scripps bee in particular, visit the Scripps official web site. Here you can find a list of past winning words (2008's was "guerdon", meaning a "reward", or "recompense", according to the Bee's official dictionary--Webster's Third New International Dictionary, 2002 ed.). You can also test yourself to see how well you spell.

Want more a more in-depth spelling fix? Check out some of these great spelling bee resources available in The Urbana Free Library Adult Department's collection.

MOVIES:

Akeelah And The Bee
Akeelah Anderson, the 11 year old heroine from South Los Angeles, has a gift for words and with the help of her tutor and neighborhood fans overcomes her own and her mother’s resistance to spelling bee stardom. (2006; widescreen)
DVD / AKE

Bee Season
Family dynamics change as young Eliza demonstates an amazing gift for spelling any word she hears. (2006)
DVD / BEE

Spellbound
This charming documentary follows the preparation and spelling performances of eight young hopefuls competing for the 1999 Scripps National Spelling Bee crown. (2002)
DVD / 372.632 / SPE

BOOKS:

American Bee: The National Spelling Bee And The Culture Of Nerd Words: The Lives Of Five Top Spellers As They Compete For Glory and Fame
James Maguire, 2006
372.632 / MAG

How To Spell Like A Champ
Barrie Trinkle, Caroline Andrews, Paige Kimble, 2006
372.632 / TRI

The Art Of Spelling: The Madness And The Method
Marilyn vos Savant, 2000
421.52 / VOS

The Terrible Speller: A Quick-And-Easy Guide To Enhancing Your Spelling AbilityWilliam Proctor, 1993
428.1 / PRO