I've always been great at spelling—I think it just comes naturally. Even if I'm not familiar with a word, I can nearly always tell if it's spelled properly. Of course, there are some words that just don't look right even when they are—like sacrilegious, infinitesimal, rhythm, and minuscule—but those you just have to learn. Still, every now and then I get hung up on a word. A few that come to mind are excruciating (I always want it to be excrutiating), complexion (that "x" looks just crazy, no?), cantaloupe (canteloupe looks better to me), and accordion (why not accordian?).
How about you—are you a good speller? If so, what words throw you a curve every time? If not, um, how come? What's it like?
I am very visual and a good speller, but some of the words listed above give me problems. I have difficulty with rhythm, although I have no issue with excruciating. Imagine my embarrassment though at realizing that for YEARS I've been spelling "prononciation" the French way and not the English. I guess I got used to it with the o while studying French.
Posted by: Margaret | October 25, 2009 at 09:16 PM
Knowing the etymology of these "curveball" words helps. "Excruciating," for example, means "to torture as if by crucifixion." Once you know it's related to "crucify," you'll never put that "t" in there. As for "accordion," it's from the Greek, and follows the same formula as "melodion" and other -on words.
"Accordian," misspelled, always looks to me like an Armenian surname. (I've always lived around a lot of Armenians!)
Posted by: Nancy | October 25, 2009 at 10:38 PM
I am a very good speller, but one of the words I always have to look up is "perseverance". I always want to add an extra "r", as in "perserverance". But nevertheless, I persevere!
Posted by: Elena | October 25, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Words I always, always mispell: "diarrhea," "occurrence," and "misspell."
Posted by: pam | October 26, 2009 at 12:42 PM
I'm a pretty good speller, but I always have to remind myself about the extra "m" in "accommodate." I have no problem with words like "commodious," so I don't know why that's so. I also find "Shenandoah" sort of hard -- I want to put an "e" in there. "Sacrilegious." Hmm. I spell that one right, but now I come to think about it, why is it NOT a problem?
Posted by: Wendy | October 26, 2009 at 01:40 PM
Accommodate and commmittee. How many consonants? Where are the double ones and the single ones? Every way seems to be wrong.
Posted by: amy | October 26, 2009 at 02:20 PM
If you live in Canada, you can always claim Canadian or British spelling. Might not always get away with it, but it's worth a try!
Mo
Posted by: Mo | October 28, 2009 at 09:01 PM