[M032387]

Yes the 'Up-ers' sound incredibly different to me. One of my friends, her mother grew up in the UP and she can put on her accent like it's no one's business. It's hilarious! It's something she can turn on and off though, not quite sure how she does it.

[M032387]

Originally Posted by darstar

You read me wrong..... I am far from being an English Major, but if you think education does not have an effect on the way we speak , well , its you who are lacking..... My reference was about the extreams in this Country, including Michigan.

No I didn't misread your response. How does your accent have anything to do with your education? You still haven't explained your theory. I think you're confusing one's ability to communicate eloquently (by way of studying the arts) with the dialect with which one speaks.

[darstar]

Originally Posted by M032387

No I didn't misread your response. How does your accent have anything to do with your education? You still haven't explained your theory. I think you're confusing one's ability to communicate eloquently (by way of studying the arts) with the dialect with which one speaks.

Again , I was not just referring to " accent" , but the way education influences our speech, words, and manners. And , yes it also influences , softens , and reflects your origins.... The deep South is the best example I can muster up. Just get back in the woods, the hills , find a local bar and listen. Contrary to that , visit a Southern city library , a school , a business office , Country Club , coffee house , or college...you will find a quite different Southern speak, often times , one you can understand , and may even be quaint.....but I guess you would find offence in that too.
And not to stray too far from the topic....Michigan also has the " blue Collar" talk , the " hillbilly" lingo. This also does not mean to demean any folks, their background , there heratiage , nor their lack of formal education, It just means you can more often than not , tell from where they have come , and how far.

[M032387]

You're completely wrong. Very few people in Michigan speak with the dialect you're referring to, maybe your experience was in the ghetto or south metro? lmao

[michigan83]

You're completely wrong. Very few people in Michigan speak with the dialect you're referring to, maybe your experience was in the ghetto or south metro? lmao

I'm going to have to side with Darstar on this one.

If you don't think that rural folks in Michigan have a special "hillbilly speak", then you haven't spent enough time in rural Michigan. I grew up there. I've heard it. I also can turn it on like a switch when I feel the need to "fit in" in my hometown!!

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by michigan83

I'm going to have to side with Darstar on this one.

If you don't think that rural folks in Michigan have a special "hillbilly speak", then you haven't spent enough time in rural Michigan. I grew up there. I've heard it. I also can turn it on like a switch when I feel the need to "fit in" in my hometown!!

ROFLMAO, I can attest to that!

I lived in small-town Michigan as well as living in cities (8 years in Grand Rapids) before leaving the state in '64. Mom's family was in South Haven, Bangor Twp., & Hartford. Dad's was in Kalamazoo, Alamo, & Cooper.

While research a family in Indiana during the Civil War, I kept pulling up Civil War dictionaries & to my horror, 90% was the way we talked in the 1950s & 60s in Michigan. I realize that this is dialect vs accent, but they sort of go together, in this case.

[DemoandDirtGuy]

I grew up half of my life in Southeast MI, andf Half in the Upper Peninsula. I have what you would call an MI accent. It's a more nasally pitch in my voice. I didn't have much of a problem until I was going to school down In NC. People would laugh, now since I had moved down south, and then back to Southeast MI, I have slowly started to lose the Northern MI accent.

I think if anything it sounds cool, but then again it made me more unique..

[{geek}]

I was born in MI and moved away after College. I've been told I have a "MI accent" though I can't hear it. One of the things some people have pointed out is I say "OUT" like a Canadian does ouwt.

From what I've heard from people, the closer you live to the Canadian border, the more distinct your "MI accent" is going to be. I lived about 20 miles from the Canadian border.

One time when I was about 15 we went on a vacation through the South. Folks there actually asked my Dad if I was from England. None of us even understood that one at all, but it happened in a few different southern states we passed through.

[DemoandDirtGuy]

LOL! That is something else.

[OzeefromAzle]

The only thing I would say about this is that we are talking about dialects, not accents. I'm not being snotty about it. I learned that in one of my voice and articulation courses. I grew up in Michigan, and have lived in southern New Jersey (which is not like the northern part at all), Minnesota and now Texas. I think it's funny that you are concerned about having a dialect. If you watch network news at all, you should know that broadcasters prefer a mid-western dialect to all others, unless it's pure British. The only other thing I have to say I've noticed is that many Michiganians tend to explain what they're going to say before they say it, and I never have a clue what they're talking about till about three minutes later. That can be annoying. Otherwise, be proud of the way you speak. You're lucky enough to live in the greatest state ever, so don't let anyone change your speech patterns.