Hunnerts or thousands...? (INCL COMMENTS BY CECIL)

[Dr. Pangloss]

A little back ground: I was born in Chicago, as was my mom, her parents, their parents, etc...

So, I got into a discussion with some coworkers and said something about Armitage being "twenty hundred north" at which the conversation came to an abrupt halt. They maintainted that the streets divisible by 1000 were properly called "thousands" as in "Armitage is two thousand north"

I think this is ridiculous because no one calls Division "one thousand, two hundred north", so why would you call Oak "one thousand north"?

I realize that there's no real right answer, and that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, but in this case, like others, I think there is a way that is more authentically Chicago.

What say you all?

[Tim R. Mortiss]

I agree with you; streets in Chicago are NEVER measured in thousands. Yes, it does sound a tad jarring to suburbanites and other foreigners, and the mathematician in me rebels a bit, but my three generations of Chicago heritage know that it is the proper way.

I also applaud your proper spelling and (one assumes) pronunciation of "hunnert"......TRM (twenty one hunnert north, eight hunnert west)

[Dr. Pangloss]

I also applaud your proper spelling and (one assumes) pronunciation of "hunnert"......TRM (twenty one hunnert north, eight hunnert west)

I suppose I could've titled the thread "hunnerts and tao-zins", but I'm not sure many would've known what I meant...until they said it outloud. :D

[C K Dexter Haven]

Agreed, Touhy is 72-hunnert north. Fer shure.

[C K Dexter Haven]

Cecil has responded to this one: http://chicago.straightdope.com/sdc20091105.php
Congrats, Dr Pangloss!

[Nisus]

To conduct a proper survey, you must first find out how the responder pronounces Chicago. Since I pronounce it, the proper way, with an 'i' as in if, and an 'a' as in awe, the answer is Armitage is twenty two hundred north.

[Tim R. Mortiss]

To conduct a proper survey, you must first find out how the responder pronounces Chicago. Since I pronounce it, the proper way, with an 'i' as in if, and an 'a' as in awe, the answer is Armitage is twenty two hundred north.

Actually, that would be Webster.

[Nisus]

Actually, that would be Webster.

AAAAGH. Actually you would be right.

[Nisus]

a little back ground: I was born in chicago, as was my mom, her parents, their parents, etc...

So, i got into a discussion with some coworkers and said something about armitage being "twenty hundred north" at which the conversation came to an abrupt halt. They maintainted that the streets divisible by 1000 were properly called "thousands" as in "armitage is two thousand north"

i think this is ridiculous because no one calls division "one thousand, two hundred north", so why would you call oak "one thousand north"?

I realize that there's no real right answer, and that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, but in this case, like others, i think there is a way that is more authentically chicago.

What say you all?

I Say You Are Right.

[pulykamell]

I was born and raised Chicago, but I've always said "two-thousand" north for Armitage, and "twenty-four hundred" north for Fullerton. I also refer to Pulaski as "four thousand" west, if necessary to give someone directions on the grid, and, say, Kedzie as "thirty-two hundred west." "Twenty hundred" and "forty hundred" sound really bad to my ears, but it could be a dialectal difference within Chicago. I honestly don't think I've ever heard anyone use hundreds for streets divisible by 1000, but it's not like it comes up in conversation that often.

[buttonjockey308]

I was born and raised Chicago, but I've always said "two-thousand" north for Armitage, and "twenty-four hundred" north for Fullerton. I also refer to Pulaski as "four thousand" west, if necessary to give someone directions on the grid, and, say, Kedzie as "thirty-two hundred west." "Twenty hundred" and "forty hundred" sound really bad to my ears, but it could be a dialectal difference within Chicago. I honestly don't think I've ever heard anyone use hundreds for streets divisible by 1000, but it's not like it comes up in conversation that often.

Dis right here is da way.

2000= "two-tao-zand"
2100="twenny-one hunnert"

Also:
North="Nort" South="Sout"
Front room="frunchroom"
Grocery store = "Dominicks, Jewels, Meijers"
Chicago = "Chi-caw-go"
You all = "youse"

[Tim R. Mortiss]

.....
Grocery store = "Dominicks, Jewels, Meijers"
.....


Actually, it would be "the Jewel" (even though we all know there is more than one of them) in my neighborhood. "The Dominics" is acceptable, but for some reason not as required. And Meijers? We don't need no stinkin' Meijers!

[pulykamell]

Actually, it would be "the Jewel" (even though we all know there is more than one of them) in my neighborhood. "The Dominics" is acceptable, but for some reason not as required. And Meijers? We don't need no stinkin' Meijers!

We either said "da Jewels" or "Jewels" with the "s" at the end. As for "Chicago" = "shih-CAW-go," I think that's a division in accents within Chicago. We said "shih-CAH-go" with an overenunciated "CAH." I hear both "CAH" and "CAW" variations among people with very strong Chicago accents (like city workers, cops, folks from Back of the Yards, etc.) I was born in Back of the Yards and grew up a mile or two west, and the accent here is (or was) very much influenced by Eastern European where the "AH" sound is more common than the "AW" sound.

[thirdwarning]

Dis right here is da way.

2000= "two-tao-zand"
2100="twenny-one hunnert"

Also:
North="Nort" South="Sout"
Front room="frunchroom"
Grocery store = "Dominicks, Jewels, Meijers"
Chicago = "Chi-caw-go"
You all = "youse"

You forgot sahsage.

[Dinsdale]

20+ years on the NW side beginning in 1960 - Irving was always 4 thousand, not 40 hunnert.