Lake Michigan courtesy of www.undercovertourist.com.Edited by: Tom Mitsos
You've said your goodbyes, you've packed your entire life in boxes and you are finally ready to move out of the sheltered college town where you’ve spent the last four years.
You’ve heard all the stereotypes of the fast-paced “city people,” you’ve bought your can of pepper spray to scare off the predators hiding down every dark alley, and you’ve memorized the maze-like subway system to avoid talking to the rude residents or, God forbid, a homeless person. You may think you are completely prepared for your new life in the big city, but you are forgetting one thing: how these city folk are going to judge you and all the things you are leaving behind.
You undoubtedly will encounter the individual who thinks of you as the small-town Christian who hasn’t seen much of the world other than cornfields and deer, or the person who believes Michigan is comprised solely of the city of Detroit, but this list will familiarize you with the many things you didn’t know you did differently from the rest of the country:
1. Midwesterners, particularly Michigan residents, really do have an accent.
Compared to the thick accents of the South or New York, Midwesterners might seem to have no accent. Sorry to disappoint my fellow Michiganders, but we have some quirks to the way we speak.
Eric Weaver, a Grand Rapids native, has created a web site, Michigan Native, in which he analyzes the Michigan accent and phrases unique to our state. According to Weaver’s “Michigan Pronunciation Guide,” there are three things you must do in order to speak correctly in Michigan.
“Talk fast, slur your words together, and clip all your hard consonants, also known as a glottal stop,” he said. Need an example of a glottal stop? Weaver uses the word apartment; most Michigan natives would take out all of the “T’s”, making it sound more like “aparh’mehn.”
Don’t think you do that? Here are some other common words Michigan natives have made their own. Weaver describes the Michigan use of the letter “R” as sounding more like a growl. Words like forever, refrigerator, or even Grand Rapids seem to sound more like “Frever”, “Frigerraider” and “Grrarapids.”
Still not convinced? Another popular problem is turning the letter “i” into “e.” Milk becomes “melk” and thinks turns into “thenks.” Weaver attributes this commonality to Dutch, Irish, Finnish and Welsh heritage rooted in Michigan.
2. You will be ridiculed for calling your drink "pop."
When you move out of the Midwest and crave a carbonated beverage, it may take you some time to figure out what to call it. If you’re moving to the Northeast or Southwest regions of the country, you may want to ask for a soda, but if you're moving south, your best bet is a “coke.” Christen Pearson, a linguistics professor at Grand Valley State University, calls this a dialectical difference.
“In the South, the term 'coke' means any carbonated beverage,” Pearson said. “One has to ask what kind of coke in order to determine whether one wants a Sprite, Seven-up, etc.”
Why so many different names for one kind of drink? According to Faygo, a soft drink company started in Detroit in 1907, they coined the term “pop” after the sound the bottle made when opened. Many people take their carbonated beverage names seriously, so if you’re trying to blend into your new city, remember where you are and use the appropriate terms.
3. Sadly, there will probably be no "Michigan lefts" when you drive out of the state.
The Michigan left turn is essentially turning right to make a left, or going through a light, making a left and then a right. Sounds confusing, but if you are from Michigan, you know how it works. The Michigan left was a popular solution to traffic congestion implemented in the 1960s with the creation of four-lane super highways, according to Michigan Highways. Although it seems to have worked pretty well throughout our state, it has not been picked up by many others, hence the name.
4. You will no longer be able to use your hand as a map.
For Michigan residents, as long as you have hands, you can show someone where you live. Moving out of state and into a city will limit your navigation abilities to paper maps or GPS. The only other place where you can describe your location with a body part might be Louisiana, but you would always have to wear a boot.
Photo courtesy of Tom Mitsos.5. If you move to a city, it will more than likely be a much more diverse environment.
The major difference between rural Michigan and any large city is going to be the amount of diversity and culture. Meghan Wass, a former Michigan resident, has lived in Toronto for over four years. She recollects the culture shock she experienced when first moving to a more diverse environment.
“Seeing a man dressed in fishnets and a mini dress in Michigan just doesn’t happen,” Wass said. “Or with a rainbow tattooed on their head.” She said that people in bigger cities are much more accepting toward unusual behavior and style. So don’t be surprised when you find yourself surrounded by such a variety.
When you pack up your car and move into your cheap inner-city apartment, just remember you might get scoffed at for your “accent” or your word choice when ordering a carbonated beverage order. But, never forget the good old days of the Michigan left, and using your hand as a map.
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Here are some more pronunciations unique to Michigan:
Aent: Aunt
Ciddy: City
Comf-terbul: Comfortable
Deeahd or dayaad: Father, Dad
Di 'Troi: Detroit
Pronounce-eation: Pronunciation
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