Roots

Several spellers are asking very specific questions about where their words come from. Listen for more questions that ask if a word comes from the "Latin bellum, meaning war," for example.

That's what Shreyas Parab (Speller 207) asked Dr. Jacques Bailly yesterday. It's also the example Dr. Bailly gave spellers during a Tuesday assembly explaining the proper way to ask questions about etymology.

Shreyas, a Pennsylvania seventh grader, was grateful.

"You told me that yesterday," he said. "Thank you."

Shreya Parab, speller 207