Michiganders or Michiganians? A linguist explains why the answer is clear

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Robin Queen, University of Michigan

(THE CONVERSATION) Growing up in the late 1970s, my best friend was from Michigan. Early in our friendship I asked her what someone from Michigan is called. “Michigander,” she replied. I laughed and said, “You mean like a goose?” Her older sister then chimed in that it was being changed to Michiganian. Michigander is sexist, she said, since gander refers only to a male goose.

I spent the next two decades never questioning, or particularly thinking about, Michiganian.

Then, I moved to Michigan. In over 20 years living here, I’ve never heard anyone say Michiganian. People from Michigan call themselves Michiganders.

Even though it may seem rather trivial, there is endless interest in the Michigander-Michiganian question. News articles about this topic pop up fairly regularly, inevitably stating that:

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Both terms are recognized.

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Abraham Lincoln coined “Michigander” in 1848 to insult Michigan Gov. Lewis Cass, implying he was silly, weak and unserious.

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Govs. James Blanchard, John Engler and Jennifer Granholm used “Michiganian,”...