How to Speak Midwestern

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About How To Speak Midwestern

Product Description “A dictionary wrapped in some serious dialectology inside a gift book trailing a serious whiff of Relevance” ―The New York Times In this book on Midwestern accents, and sayings, Edward McClelland explains what Midwesterners say and how and why they say it. He examines the causes of the Northern Cities Vowel Shift, explains the nasality of Minnesota speech, and details why Chicagoans talk more like people from Buffalo than their next-door neighbors in Wisconsin. He provides humorous definitions of jargon from the region, including: -squeaky cheese -city chicken -shampoo banana -the Pittsburgh toilet -FIB -bubbler -Chevy in the Hole -jagoff The book also includes detailed glossaries of slang from Buffalo, the Great Lakes, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Wisconsin slang and sayings. This delightful romp through the region is the perfect gift for Midwesterners, and the perfect book for anyone wanting to learn more about the region’s dialects. Review "An amusing glossary to the lingo of the [Midwest's] more industrial states." ― Washington Post “A delightful romp through the dialects and vocabulary of the region.” ― Lansing City Pulse “A dictionary wrapped in some serious dialectology inside a gift book trailing a serious whiff of Relevance.” ― The New York Times "McClelland leavens his writing with pop-culture references ... and touches of humor." ― Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel "There is scholarship [in How to Speak Midwestern], a deep understanding of grammar and ethnic history, as he traces certain speech patterns down to a single city. But McClelland, a Michigan native, also has a voice, opinions and a few punchlines." ― Star Tribune " How to Speak Midwestern is a fascinating read, whether you hail from WOWOland, the UP, Cereal City, or Baja Minnesota." ― Chicagoist "In his delightful new book, Edward McClelland argues that the dialect of the Midwest is one of the country’s most linguistically significant ... [ How to Speak Midwestern is] a long-overdue study of the middle-American vernacular, and how that vernacular informs our identity. At its heaviest, the book is a socio-economic treatise worthy of a university library; at its lightest, it’s a regionally specific Urban Dictionary." ― Inside Hook About the Author Edward McClelland is a journalist. His writing has appeared in publications such as the Columbia Journalism Review, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and Salon. He is the author of Nothin’ But Blue Skies and Young Mr. Obama. He lives in Chicago.