Events
Yooper Talk: Dialect as Identity in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
Date and Time
Thursday, September 14, 2017 2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Description
Kathryn Remlinger will present her recently published book, Yooper Talk: Dialect as Identity in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Yooper Talk is a fresh and significant contribution to understanding regional language and culture in North America. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan—known as "the UP"—is historically, geographically, and culturally distinct. Struggles over land, labor, and language during the last 150 years have shaped the variety of English spoken by resident Yoopers, as well as how they are viewed by outsiders.
Drawing on sixteen years of fieldwork Kathryn Remlinger examines how
the idea of a unique Yooper dialect emerged. She also explores how a
dialect becomes a recognizable and valuable commodity: Yooper talk (or
"Yoopanese") is emblazoned on t-shirts, flags, postcards,
coffee mugs, and bumper stickers. Her presentation will highlight how
she got
interested in Yooper talk and significant findings from
the study, including the how the dialect has been shaped through
language and culture contact, what makes Yooper talk a
"dialect," as well as how tourism, media, and language
attitudes shape what we know and think about dialects and their speakers.
Contact
616-331-8099