Museum features "Yooper Dialect"

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum is continuing “Afternoons at the Museum,” a seven-part series examining the Upper Peninsula’s storied industrial and cultural heritage.  The July 24 feature is the Upper Peninsula’s “Yooper dialect.” The program begins at 2 p.m. at the Michigan Iron Industry Museum in Negaunee Township .

Grand Valley State University professor Dr. Kathryn Remlinger’s program “Sounding Yooper: How History, Tourism, and the Media Have Shaped the Idea of Dialect,” will examine the region’s unique dialect and how the Yooper identity has been portrayed through various mediums, including the movie “Escanaba in da Moonlight,” and the iconic “Say ya to da UP, eh!” bumper sticker.

Remlinger will also discuss the history and usage of “Yooperisms,” such as chooks, swampers, ‘panking’ snow and having ‘sisu.’

The remaining programs in the Afternoons at the Museum speaker series include:

…July 31 – “Phase I Archaeological Survey of the Yellow Dog Plains,” Dr. John Anderton, Northern Michigan University

…August 7 – “Camping in Cloverland with Henry Ford,” Guy Forstrom, Quinnesec

…August 14 – “Anatomy ’59,” John Pepin, Marquette

…August 21 – “The Making of ‘Iron Spirits: Life on the Michigan Iron Ranges ,’” John Major, Marquette

All programs begin at 2 p.m. in the museum auditorium. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. The museum entrance is located on U.S.-41E, one mile west of Junction M-35, in Negaunee Township .

The Michigan Iron Industry Museum is one of 11 nationally accredited museums administered by the Michigan Historical Center , an agency within the Department of Natural Resources. It overlooks the site of the Carp River Forge, a pioneer industrial site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The recently expanded museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information about upcoming events at the museum call 906-475-7857 or visit www.michigan.gov/ironindustrymuseum