Why Can’t Floridians Spell This Word?
NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND - JUNE 01: Speller Dev Shah of Largo, Florida, is presented with a trophy by E. W. Scripps Company CEO Adam Symson after he won the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee at Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center on June 1, 2023 in National Harbor, Maryland. Shah correctly spelled the word "psammophile" and won the competition. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
On the heels of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, we are reviewing a state-by-state analysis of words that people from different states can’t spell, specifically Floridians.
Dev Shah from Largo, Florida won the Scripps National Spelling Bee this year. He won by spelling the word psammophile. Wow! I can’t even pronounce this word or define it, much less spell it. Congrats to Dev!
So how is our spelling in the Sunshine State? What word do Floridians seem to flub up more often than people in other states? You might be surprised to find out that the word is jewelry. Wait, did I spell that correctly? I think so. Well, why is it so difficult for people in Florida to spell jewelry. It’s “jewel,” as in a precious stone, and add an “ry.” How difficult is that?
And more importantly, who unearthed this information about Floridians? Here’s the short answer: WordTips came up with a list of words that are often misspelled and then used Twitter to analyze these frequently misspelled words. Then they looked at how often they could find these misspelled on the social media platform and traced the tweets to see which state they originated from.
If it makes you feel better (if you’re a Floridian), people in North Carolina have trouble spelling the word promise. Really?
For more on this story, click here.
4 Tips To Help Floridians Avoid Mosquito Bites
Do you need tips to help you or your children avoid pesky mosquito bites in Florida?
In the rainier seasons in Tampa Bay, mosquitoes thrive. My first piece of advice is “don’t be an adult,” because mosquitos love larger people. That’s why they prefer adults to children. (But tell that to my poor six-year-old who seems to get attacked by them when we’re outside at dusk for even two minutes.)
For some people, mosquitoes are just annoying, but for others who are prone to their attacks, it can be scary worrying that they are spreading a mosquito-borne illness.
If you do get bitten, treating them with calamine lotion or baking soda is the way to go. It makes the itchiness subside.
Here are some ideas if you want to avoid getting bitten, altogether.
Roxanne is a co-host on the MJ Morning Show and host of Middays on Q105 in Tampa Bay. She also hosts segments on The Current, which features local feel-good stories and health and wellness segments, and airs on five of the six Tampa-based Beasley Media Group stations. Roxanne has conducted hundreds of interviews, from athletes to Oscar winners, including Matt Damon, Christian Bale, and Chadwick Boseman. She also specializes in media training, having worked with clients in the NFL, NBA and WWE for television, in print, and online. Roxanne is a published author and will be releasing a thriller novel in 2024. Her favorite thing in the world is being with her two daughters and husband. As a content creator for Q105, Roxanne writes about family activities in the Tampa Bay area, as well as reviews for local restaurants and travel.