Keweenaw County Historical Society Invites GVSU Professor to Talk about the Yooper Dialect

The Upper Peninsula’s reputation as a home for several immigrant groups, and isolation from the rest of the Midwest has led to the region developing a unique dialect over the years. Next Tuesday the Keweenaw County Historical Society will explore how upper peninsula residents talk during one of the group’s summer programs, Yooper Talk.

During the presentation, the KCHS will invite Kate Remlinger to discuss her book entitled Yooper Talk which explores the dialect’s history and unique qualities in comparison to other American English dialects. Remlinger is a professor of English at Grand Valley State University and earned her doctoral degree from Michigan Technological University. She has published several articles and presentations centered on the Upper Peninsula’s regional language and dialect including Oh Yay, That’s Yooper Talk in the University of Wisconsin Press and Say Yah to da Finns, Eh! With the Journal of Finnish Studies.

The presentation on July 9th will take place at the Eagle Harbor Center at 8762 M-26 highway, beginning at 7 pm. Keweenaw County Historical Society members will pay 5 dollars for admission, regular guest seats will cost 6 dollars. Find more details on the presentation here. Learn more about the KCHS summer programs here.