Share ThisThe terms for many popular Mexican foods, like tamale and chipotle, and even some foods that we don't necessarily think of as Mexican, like avocado and chocolate, come from Nahuatl, the language spoken by the Aztecs when the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés arrived in 1519.
BEE '09
Tuesday, May 26
All 293 spellers take the Round One test at pre-assigned times. In the Round One test, spellers will spell 50 words using a computer keyboard. Only 25 of the 50 spellings will count toward each speller's Preliminaries score.
Wednesday, May 27
All 293 spellers participate in Rounds Two and Three onstage between 8:00 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. Eastern.
For
each correct spelling offered by a speller in Rounds Two and Three, the
speller earns three points that count toward his Preliminaries score.
It is possible for a speller to earn up to 31 points in the
Preliminaries: 25 points on the Round One test plus 3 points for a
correct spelling in Round Two plus 3 points for a correct spelling in
Round Three.
Immediately after the conclusion of Round Three,
Bee officials determine Semifinalists on the basis of points earned in
the Preliminaries. No more than 50 spellers will be named
Semifinalists.
Thursday, May 28
Semifinalists compete onstage between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Eastern. In general, a speller is out of the competition once he misspells.
Championship
Finalists compete onstage beginning at 8:00 p.m. Eastern. In general, a
speller is out of the competition once he misspells except for
circumstances addressed in Rule 12.