What was that word? (Bee)

[iamlachesis]

Ursprache
The term Ursprache is German for "the speech of Ur", Ur being an ancient city of Babylonia (modern day Iraq). The home of the fabled Tower of Babel. God is said to have confused human language to prevent us from attaining god-like powers. So the term Ursprache means the "Lost Language of Paradise".

Katharine Close of New Jersey correctly spelled "ursprache" to win the 2006 national spelling bee.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A 13-year-old New Jersey girl making her fifth straight appearance at the Scripps National Spelling Bee rattled off "ursprache" to claim the title of America's best speller on prime-time television Thursday night.

Katharine Close, an eighth-grader at the H.W. Mountz School in Spring Lake, New Jersey, is the first girl since 1999 to win the national spelling title. She stepped back from the microphone and put her hands to her mouth upon being declared the winner.

Congratulations, Karrie!

Comments

[rojagato.livejournal.com]

Most.Goth.Word.Ever (in spelling bee)

Yay, Karrie!

[mechanacor.livejournal.com]

That contest had to have been rigged...I mean Ursprache?!? it's a freaking german word with a strightforward simple spelling and pronunciation.
Where's the challenge in Ursprache? should've been something like Acesulfame potassium.That would've been a word worthy of a national spelling bee.
But then again growing up in germany I guess I'm used to wierd german spelling.

[frankensplean.livejournal.com]

aww, cute story! but r-e-t-a-r-d-e-d word! not even bloody english, harumph..
you got your wienerschnitzel in my lederhosen! ach! schadenfreude!

[termofart.livejournal.com]

Eeee!

Your name came up last night. Okay, I invoked your name last night. Warm fuzzies all 'round.

Okay, someone tripped and THEN I invoked your name, but I assure you it was all love.

I'm going to go listen to "our" song.

[denonymous.livejournal.com]

Bullshit. I was rooting for Finola. And yeah, ursprache was weak sauce. One of the five or six words I got should not have been one of the Championship Words and the contest-ender. I call shenanigans.