Texan teen wins US Spelling Bee Competition with Greek word “Koinonia”

Karthik Nemmani of McKinney, Texas, was declared champion of the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night, winning on the word “koinonia.” In doing so, the 14-year-old emerged the top speller from a record-shattering 515 contestants at the national bee, compared with 291 last year, after organizers expanded eligibility.

Along the way, he had to outlast a field of 16 finalists who vanquished words such as “Praxitelean,”  “telyn” – sometimes without batting an eyelash.

“I had confidence, but I didn’t really think it would happen,” 14-year-old Karthik said. “I’m just really happy. This has just been a dream come true.”

The first-time competitor at the National Bee wins more than $40,000 cash, the Scripps trophy, a complete reference library from Merriam-Webster, trips to New York and Los Angeles for national television appearances, a pizza party for his school.

Nemmani also continued a longtime trend by becoming the 14th champion or co-champion of South Asian descent the bee has had in 11 consecutive years.

The 16 finalists took the stage at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Maryland to battle it out for the title of champion. The competition was, in a word, brutal, it was, the most intense competition in the bee’s 93-year history.

The 16 finalists ranged in age from 11 to 14 and included nine girls and seven boys. The spellers came from all over the United States, plus one from Canada. And several had appeared at the national bee in previous years.

PS  ko-ee-no-nee-a I may have not recognized the word modern Greeks use every day for “society” κοινωνία. Βlame Erasmus pronunciation…?