'You Say it How in Michigan?' is the pronunciation guide we needed

Gratiot? Ypsilanti? Hamtramck? Lahser? Ishpeming?

Michigan places have some funny-sounding names, thanks to our blend of cultural influences — and our insistance over the years to just go ahead and pronounce them our own way. (Let's be honest, we're not pronouncing "Detroit" the French way.)

A new online directory "You Say it How in Michigan?"(michigan.gov/howtosayit) offers a definitive audio pronunciation guide for Michigan places and people — or at least the way we pronounce them. It includes an audio MP3 along with the phonetic pronunciation of more than 2,200 listings. The guide even includes pop culture references, like Eminem and Aaliyah.

The project was originally developed by the Michigan Braille and Talking Book Library for audiobook narrators. But it's a good guide for anyone, whether they're new to the state or even if they've lived here their entire lives but still have no idea how to pronounce some cities and streets (guilty).

Check the out guide here.