The Upper Peninsula Words Survey

Ever wonder why people from Michigan's Upper Peninsula (U.P.) use certain words or pronounce them differently compared to others across the Upper Midwest region of the United States?

The present on-line survey is your opportunity to contribute to the debate and help us better understand how and why people use and pronounce certain U.P. words the way that they do.

It's time that you take The U.P. Words Survey!


About:

"The U.P. Words Survey" is a web-based project to plot regional variations in the use and pronunciation of various local U.P. words for local and non-local residents across the Upper Midwest. People across this area say certain local words differently or use entirely different words to mean similar things. Furthermore, people have various attitudes and beliefs toward the use of many of these words. With your participation, we will show where different pronunciations and attitudes exist with regards to a handful of unique local U.P. words spoken and heard across the Upper Midwest.

The Survey:

This on-line survey is anonymous and voluntary, and it takes about 5-10 minutes of your time. During this survey you are asked various questions related to your 1) demographic info., 2) preference in word choice or pronunciation, and 3) attitudes toward these particular words.

While all responses are optional, a valid zip or postal code is critical, because the database of zip codes and their latitudes and longitudes are used to plot data on a map of the Upper Midwest.

Participation:

In order to participate, you must:

  1. be a native English speaker,
  2. have been raised and/or lived at least half of your life in the Upper Midwest (i.e., one of the three states of Michigan, Minnesota and/or Wisconsin) and,
  3. be 18 years or older.

Forgot the zip code of the location of your hometown or current residence? Please visit: https://www.usps.com/.


Contact:

If you have questions or concerns regarding this on-line survey,

please feel to contact Wil A. Rankinen, Ph.D.,

at [email protected] or at (616) 331-5541.

Protocol Number: 19-054-H



Page last modified March 7, 2019