Sliding Glass Door vs. Doorwall — A Michigan Thing

"I'm sorry, what'd you call that?"

That's the question I received when I was talking to someone about my doorwall at home. So, I repeated myself... "Yeah, the doorwall sticks sometimes in the winter."

What Michiganders Call a Doorwall

This statement was met with an incredulous look and another question, "What is a doorwall?"

And that's when it hit me... is doorwall just a Michigan word?

Like many states, Michigan has its quirks and idiosyncrasies. Sure, we speak way too fast and don't pronounce the hard T sound in some words (I'm looking at you mitten, kitten, written, etc.). But, I didn't realize we had a whole different word for something.

Michigan locals call it a doorwall, but that term apparently doesn't stray too far out of the mitten state.

READ ALSO: Do Michiganders Have Accents? 7 Words That Prove We Do

What Michiganders (and some select Midwesterners) call doorwalls, everyone else calls sliding glass doors, patio doors, or sliders.

We're all referring to the same thing, of course: a set of large, glass-paneled doors that slide open on a track, typically providing access to a backyard or patio.

Unique Michigan Words

But just like saying "pop", "up north", "party store", and "ope"; we have our own name for a sliding glass door.

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And honestly? That's cool with me. Because if me calling something a doorwall outs me as a Michigander, I'll wear that title as a badge of honor. I like my state and all the weird little words we have for things.