The Scripps National Spelling Bee has become something of a sport over the years, even being showcased on such sport-focused broadcasts as ESPN. Now the element of controversy, which has long plagued sports, has wiggled its way into the spelling competition. The final word for this year's bee may not have been spelled correctly after all.
According to Telegraph, 13-year-old Arvind Mahankali finally won the acclaimed spelling competition, after two years of second place, by spelling the word 'knaidel', which, according to the video, is a "German derived Yiddish" word for a bit of leavened dough. However, linguists at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research says that the correct spelling is actually 'kneydl'.
Arvind's trophy is in no danger though. The Atlantic Wire reports that the Scripps Bee bases all its spelling on the Meriam-Webster dictionary, which agrees with the champ. The academics can continue the debate and pressure Webster's future publications.
This isn't the first time controversy has found the spellers. This Washington Post blog details the 2010 fiasco which resulted in chaotic media blitzes and even a contestant saying that the events that led to his inclusion in the finals were unfair.
And just because this article is about spelling bees, here's a video of a kid passing out and then spelling like a boss: