ST JOHN’S, NL – A national spelling bee contest held in Newfoundland was cancelled this morning when judges deemed it was too difficult to determine what letters were being said aloud.
“Half the time we weren’t sure what word the host was saying due to his accent and the other half we couldn’t agree what letter the kids were saying,” said Tom Ellers, one of the judges flown in from Calgary for the competition.
“I’m after spelling ta word, and the boi say he dunnae! I mean, go awn wich ya!” said one parent.
The judges were especially perplexed when after being asked to spell ‘ubiquitous’, contestant Tommy O’Shaughnessy asked for “ta langwhidge-jah-origin, please Rick?”
Despite cancelling the competition, the four members of the judging panel said they felt treated “better than family” and that Newfoundland is full of the most charming people they had ever met.
