The word “Michigan” derives from the Ojibwe word ᒥᓯᑲᒥ (mishigama), meaning “large water.” Already in its name, Michigan bears the traces of long standing histories of multilingualism that are all too often ignored or forgotten.

Like the act of delving deeper into the history of Michigan’s name, “Translating Michigan” seeks to make visible the many ways that multilingualism, migration, and translation are active in our everyday lives. 

The idea for “Translating Michigan” grew out of the Sawyer Seminar on Sites of Translation in the Multilingual Midwest, funded by the Mellon Foundation and coordinated in 2021 and 2022 by the Department of Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan.

Through a series of public seminars, talks, and events, this multidisciplinary research project works against cliches of the Midwest as a monolingual, racially homogeneous rural heartland.

Translating Michigan carries forward the research of the Mellon Sawyer Seminar by collecting stories of translation and migration in a collaborative, public-facing format:

• What languages have helped to shape Michigan’s identity today and what histories of migration or indigeneity do they stand testament to?

• How do Michigan’s numerous multilingual communities experience translation on a daily basis as they navigate between languages and cultural norms?

• To what extent is migration also a form of translation, forging new communities and language practices in its wake?

• How are those without personal histories of migration nevertheless affected by the presence of migrants in their communities or in languages other than English spoken around them?

By inviting contributions from across the state, we aim to collect a dynamic archive that highlights the diverse languages and cultures Michigan is home to.