In Michigan We…
…go tuh the store, not “to” it.
…usta’ have jobs in Detroit, not “used to”
…go huntin’ in the wuds, not the “woods”
…get our tires slashed for driving a Tie-ota, not a Toyota.
…say er’ not “or.”
…feel like we’re ki-nuh like Minnesotans, not “kind of.”
When we travel out of state (like to Pennsylvania as we did last weekend) I have people ask me if I’m from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Canada??? Apparently, even for a Michigander, I have a fairly strong accent. This strikes me as slightly odd because I grew up in the middle of the mitten, not way up north in the Upper Peninsula where folks are known for their stronger “Yooper” accent.
I came across this post on Facebook about the “Michigan Accent” and couldn’t resist sharing it here. I must have underestimated the strange relationship Michiganders, including myself, have with the pronunciation of many words.
Take a peek at the post, if you’re familiar with people from Michigan (or from the great state) I think you’ll get a good chuckle.