The S4 Speech Lab:
Principle investigator: Wil A. Rankinen, Ph.D.
Email: [email protected]
Location:
Raleigh Finkelstein Hall
500 Layfayette Avenue NE, Office 303C
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Online Geolinguistic Survey Research:
The "Speaking U.P." and "Speaking MI" survey series aim to uncover the rich linguistic and cultural diversity within Michigan. The "Speaking U.P." series focuses on the unique aspects of life and language in the Upper Peninsula, while the "Speaking MI" series explores the varied regional identities and speech patterns across the entire state.
The "Speaking MI" Survey Series
The "Speaking Michigan" Survey Series delves into the diverse linguistic and cultural identities across Michigan. This series includes four comprehensive surveys, each examining different aspects of regional and state identity in Michigan.
The Michigan's Regional Identities Survey
This survey explores how residents of Michigan perceive regional identities and their sense of community, particularly in relation to the Great Lakes.
The Northern Perspectives Survey
This survey defines and compares the regions of Northern Michigan and "Up North," examining residents' perceptions and boundaries.
Click here to learn more!
The Michigan's State Identity Survey
This survey investigates how terms like 'Michigander' and 'Michiganian' shape state identity and community.
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The Mapping Michigan Survey
This survey maps the linguistic diversity across Michigan by examining how residents speak differently in various regions.
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The "Speaking U.P." Survey Series
The "Speaking U.P." Survey Series aims to explore the unique cultural and sociolinguistic environment of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This series includes three distinct surveys, each focusing on different aspects of life and language in the U.P. region.
The Sauna Survey
This survey investigates the cultural significance and linguistic characteristics associated with sauna practices in the Upper Peninsula.
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The U.P. Words Survey
This survey explores the unique vocabulary and expressions used by residents of the Upper Peninsula, highlighting the region's rich linguistic diversity.
The Yooper Survey
This survey examines the identity and self-perception of residents known as "Yoopers," focusing on how they view their cultural and linguistic identity within Michigan.
Sociolinguistic Fieldwork and Research:
This section highlights comprehensive sociolinguistic studies, divided into two main categories: Regional Sociolinguistics and Ethnic-Heritage Sociolinguistics.
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Regional Sociolinguistics: These studies focus on the linguistic features and speech patterns unique to specific regions within Michigan, such as the Lower Peninsula (L.P.) and Upper Peninsula (U.P.). By examining regional variations, the goal is to understand how local identities and speech communities are formed and maintained.
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Ethnic-Heritage Sociolinguistics: These studies delve into the sociophonetic characteristics of American English as spoken by ethnic-heritage communities within Michigan. Focusing on Finnish-Italian and Dutch-English populations, the research analyzes how factors like language dominance, age, sex, and heritage influence speech patterns and contribute to the linguistic diversity of the state.
Regional Sociolinguistics
The Michigan's L.P. Talk Study
This sociolinguistic study investigates linguistic features in the Lower Peninsula, based on data from a >90-participant sample focusing on the eastern and western regions and analyzing speech patterns among long-standing residents.
The Michigan's U.P. Talk Study
This sociolinguistic study explores linguistic features related to pronunciation in the Upper Peninsula, based on data from a >130-participant sample stratified by location, age, and sex.
Ethnic-Heritage Sociolinguistics
The Kent Dutch-English Study
This sociophonetic study on American English examines the Northern Cities Vowel Shift among Dutch and non-Dutch ethnic-heritage communities in Kent County, based on a 60-speaker sample analyzing vowels as a factor of heritage, age, and sex.
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The Marquette Finnish-Italian Study
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This sociophonetic study on American English investigates the sociophonetic data of Finnish- and Italian-American residents in Marquette County, based on a 132-speaker sample focusing on language dominance, age, sex, and education.
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