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Michigan might be shaped like a mitten, but it’ll still slap you upside the head if you try to pronounce its place names like you’ve never seen a Great Lake. With French roots, Native American influences, and a dash of pure Midwestern mischief, this state has more silent letters than potholes on I-94—and that’s saying something. Say these names wrong, and someone from the U.P. will come down just to shake their head at you.
1. Mackinac (MACK-in-aw, not Mack-in-ack)
That “C”? It’s silent. Just like your credibility if you pronounce it.
2. Charlevoix (SHAR-luh-voy, not Char-le-voy-ex)
French name, Michigan mouth. You gotta lean into it.
3. Gratiot (GRASH-it, not Gra-tee-ot)
It’s a road, it’s a county, it’s a trap.
4. Ypsilanti (Ip-suh-LAN-tee, not Yip-sill-an-tee)
The “Y” is just there to mess with tourists.
5. Cheboygan (Shuh-BOY-gan, not Chee-boy-gun)
Yes, it sounds like a cannon. No, it’s not a weapon—unless you say it wrong.
6. Hamtramck (Ham-TRAM-ick, not Ham-tra-mick)
Bonus points if you can pronounce it while eating a pierogi.
7. Sault Ste. Marie (Soo Saint Marie, not Salt Saint Mary)
Looks fancy. Is fancy. Still pronounced like you’re in Canada.
8. Dowagiac (Duh-WAH-jack, not Dow-a-gack)
We don’t know why either. Just trust us.
9. Ontonagon (On-TAHN-uh-gun, not On-tone-a-gone)
Sounds like something you’d yell during a snowmobile race—and honestly, it is.
10. Houghton (HOE-tun, not How-ton)
Upper Peninsula, upper-level difficulty.
11. Beaulah (BYOO-luh, not Bee-oo-lah)
Say it right, and you might get invited to a cherry pie contest.
12. Lake Orion (Lake OR-ee-un, not Lake Oh-Ryan)
You’re not naming a Greek god, you’re trying to find the Dairy Queen.
If you pronounced them all correctly, congratulations—you’ve probably got a cousin in Kalamazoo and strong opinions about which gas station has the best pasties. But if you flubbed a few, don’t worry—we’ll still let you visit. Just don’t show up in flip-flops in March and say “Mackinac” with a hard “C.” That’s how you end up lost in the U.P. with nothing but a GPS and shame.
The post We Know You’re Not From Michigan If You Mispronounce These 12 Names appeared first on When In Your State.