First of all, there are 2 distinct accents on Michigan. One is the UP (Upper Peninsula aka. "Yoopers") which sounds more like a Minnesota accent. Then there's the LP accent, which sounds like a Chicago accent.

The way we pronounce things are different...

www.michigannative.com/ma_idiosyncrasies.shtml

www.michigannative.com/ma_pronunciations.shtml

www.michigannative.com/ma_wordsphrases.shtml

When we were growing up, we were told we didn't have an accent and that our voice was the one desired for television and radio announcers. Then as I got older, I noticed a very distinguished accent.

First of all, we have a long "a." Think of when you go to the doctor and he asks to to say "ahh." We don't drink "soda," we drink "pahhp." "cot" "cat" and "caught" do not sound the same. "Mary" "marry" and "merry" sound exactly alike.

Then there's "the" and "to." "The" becomes "Duh" and "to" becomes "tuh." "I'm goin' tuh duh store, maybe Meijer's. That's another thing, it's "Meijer" not "Meijer's." Why add the "s?" I duhnno!

"Duhnno." Notice that we don't pronounce our "t" and if we do it sounds like a "d." "Important" = "impodent." Some people say we sound "nasally."

"Refrigerator" = "Fridgerraider" Why waste breadth on the "re?" You know what we mean!

"Groceries" = "groshries." Just forget about the "er."

Our "r's" are really pronounced too. Some people say we sound like pirates. "arrgh!"

Lastly, are "s's" sound like "z's" at the end of the word. "whadz up, guyz?"

Here, listen to this guy...

I have noticed that accent when I go to Michigan. I also disagree that the Chicago/Midwestern accent is the one you hear the most on TV because it isn't. Some people have heavier accents than others. My uncle doesn't have much of an accent at all. His daughter and her husband both do. His son doesn't but his wife's is very heavy. They're all from the same area (Fenton/Grand Blanc/greater Flint) so I'm not sure what happened there.


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That guy in that video does not have much of an accent. I'm not sure what the people in Seattle were thinking. I've heard way better accents than that.

I think the guy in the video has a noticeable accent. It's not distinguished as a Canadian or an English accent, but it's there. The accent gets heavier as you move north and it's like a mix of Minnesota and Canadian. I sound very much like the guy in the video.

I've been to Florida, Toronto, Atlanta and Houston and no one ever questioned me about my accent or where I was from. At least I don't remember. I've heard that people think that the

Oh, and I caught (cawt) myself saying "Geez-o-Pete" twice today. I am such a Michigander...

I've only had my accent questioned once. The guy said to me and the person I was with "where you Yanks from?". I was in England.

Obviously I've been places where I didn't sound like the natives (Tennessee for example) but my accent is like that of your typical Hollywood type so it's obvious I'm a Northerner/Westerner.