Re: Aspects of English Grammar

Mark J. Reed wrote:
>
> Roger Mills wrote:
> >
> > Michigan (where, I now realize, I've spent 4/7 of my life).
> > (And yes, Philippe C., there are said to be big differences between
> > Northern-- especially the Upper Peninsula, as we call it--
> > and Southern Michigan; at least we joke about them......
>
> You're just bitter because you can't point out your location on your
> hand.:)
I live in southern Michigan where I grew up (I'm forty-nine), but I
went to college at Michigan Technological University which is in
the far northwest of the upper peninsula. There is definitely a
difference in spoken English between the two peninsulas.

We in the lower peninsula call the natives of the upper peninsula
"yoopers" (from "U.P.er") and joke about them. Since the two
peninsulas are connected by a huge suspension bridge, the
natives of the upper peninsula call those of us in the lower
peninsula "trolls" (because trolls always live "below the bridge"
in fairly tales).


> > though there is a Milan, but the train doesn't go there anymore.)
>
> Milan, Michigan, besides being a marvelously alliterative name, is close
> to the city with one of my favorite names of all time, Ypsilanti (IME
> pronounced /,Ip.s@'l&ni/).  About halfway between there and
> Tecumseh (named after the Red Prophet), in fact, at least as the Nazgul
> flies.
1. Yes, that's the way it's pronounced around here, too, but those
who live more than twenty-fives miles away tend to pronounce it
as if it were spelled Yipsilani. It's often referred to simply as Ypsi
(or Yipsi in some cases).

2. Wasn't Tecumseh's brother the one who was called "the Prophet"?

(The McDonalds in Tecumseh had a series of oil paintings by a
local artist depicting scenes in the life of Tecumseh, but I noticed
recently that they have been removed.)

3. Perhaps it's been a while since looking at your map. :-)   I live five
miles due north of Tecumseh. Ypsilanti and Milan are due north and
south of each other, but that's about twenty miles east of Tecumseh.

--Ph. D.

Replies