Yooper’s Officially Added to the Dictionary, But There’s a Problem

It's official! My people are finally recognized by the dictionary!

Back in March I gleefully announced that the folks that make the dictionary finally decided to add the word "Yooper".

Now, "Yooper" and 149 other words and phrases are part of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary.

But, it also includes a blooper. And, of course, it's associated with the word "Yooper".

The suggested pronunciation in the dictionary lacks the "p" sound, but the entry is spelled correctly and the audio pronunciation (that sounds like it was read by a robot) is correct.

Here's the actual definition: Yooper -- a noun, a native or resident of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan; used as a nickname.

It's also a heartfelt self-description of someone from the Michigan's Upper Peninsula, whether they live there now or have lived there in the past.

As someone who used to live in the UP, I can assure you that I still very much identify as a Yooper. And I know that my Yooper brethren consider me to be so.

It's a little harder to be accepted into the fold if you are a transplant. But soon enough, you'll be throwing out "eh's" and being called a Yooper like the rest of us.

You can join the New Words conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #MW2014NewWords.