# Illinois!!! Starts with an "I" dammit! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 11, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565 "2010-02-11T17:39:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/21 "2010-02-11T18:55:14Z")
> [@engineer\_comp\_geek](#): > > Kansas and Arkansas can’t even agree on how the common parts of their state names are pronounced Not only that, but Arkansas is pronounced differently depending on if you mean the state (“AR-kan-saw”) or the river (“Ar-KAN-sas”). So there you go. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/22 "2010-02-11T19:01:01Z")
Lest anyone forget Marseilles, Illinois (pronounced locally as “Mar-sales”) Count me also as one who thinks Chicago should be pronounced (Sha-caw-go) and not (She-kaaah-go). ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/23 "2010-02-11T19:01:30Z")
The “S” in Illinois is pronounced exactly like the “S” in the name of the state of Arkansas. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/24 "2010-02-11T19:10:39Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Not only that, but Arkansas is pronounced differently depending on if you mean the state (“AR-kan-saw”) or the river (“Ar-KAN-sas”). So there you go. What? No they aren’t I’ve lived in two states through which the Arkansas River runs, Arkansas, where I grew up, and Colorado, where I live now. In both places, it is pronounced “AR-kan-saw.” I’ve heard that in Kansas they pronounce it to rhyme with their own state, but I’ve never heard it actually said that way. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/25 "2010-02-11T19:18:33Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > BRB, writing a letter to every linguist on the face of the planet to let them know that they’re 100% wrong about how language works, because some random guy on a message board told me that spelling determines pronunciation and the only valid dialect is the one he speaks. > > This may take a while. There are regional dialects and such, sure, but that doesn’t apply to proper nouns. If someone named Jorge pronounced his name “jorj”, it would be rude to say “Dude, you’re supposed to pronounce it ‘hor-hay.’ Don’t you even know how to pronounce your own name?” Sorry, no. Your regional variation doesn’t fly. Jorge knows his own name. Similarly, place names have a standard pronunciation. The S in Illinois is silent not only because it’s a French name, but because that’s how it’s pronounced, period. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/26 "2010-02-11T19:24:55Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > BRB, writing a letter to every linguist on the face of the planet to let them know that they’re 100% wrong about how language works, because some random guy on a message board told me that spelling determines pronunciation and the only valid dialect is the one he speaks. > > This may take a while. Other random guys on the internet: [Wiki](http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pronunciation_of_Illinois) [Dictionary.com](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/illinois) [Some other place](http://inogolo.com/pronunciation/Illinois) [Merriam-Webster](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illinois) Tell the linguists hi from me, if they want to reach me, I’ll be on my Eye-talian vacation! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/27 "2010-02-11T20:19:32Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > BRB, writing a letter to every linguist on the face of the planet to let them know that they’re 100% wrong about how language works, because some random guy on a message board told me that spelling determines pronunciation and the only valid dialect is the one he speaks. > > This may take a while. Isn’t this supposed to be the hugs ‘n’ unicorn sparkles forum? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/28 "2010-02-11T21:17:02Z")
> [@statsman1982](#): > > I get your point that spelling and pronunciation are very subjective and accents vary, but isn’t there some room for standard pronunciation? No. From an objective linguistic standpoint, there is no such thing as a “standard” pronunciation. There may be the _most common_ pronunciation, but that doesn’t mean that another dialect’s is necessarily less valid. > [@tdn](#): > > The S in Illinois is silent not only because it’s a French name, but because that’s how it’s pronounced, period. We’re talking about the first vowel, not the last consonant. Please do try to keep up. Were this a discussion of whether or not the s is silent, I’d absolutely agree with you. But this is a case of an actual vowel shift, not some guy who’s only seen “Illinois” written down and just took a stab at how to say it. > [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > Other random guys on the internet: Until you realize that dictionaries only provide the most common mainstream pronunciation(s), you have no business discussing linguistics. > [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Isn’t this supposed to be the hugs ‘n’ unicorn sparkles forum? 😃 You’ll notice that I didn’t once call anyone a naughty name. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/29 "2010-02-11T21:48:42Z")
Could be worse; y’all could be living in Missourah. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/30 "2010-02-11T21:56:21Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > Could be worse; y’all could be living in Missourah. Or Ioway. ---
**Author:** ![cards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@cards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cards)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/31 "2010-02-11T22:11:32Z")
> [@Mr Bus Guy](#): > > The “k” is silent. 😉 > > Except downstate, and they say everything funny down there, so they don’t count. > > Examples: > > **Vienna, IL** Pronounced locally as “vy-ana” > > **Cairo, IL** Pronounced like the syrup - “kay-ro” > > That big fault line down there? You know the New Madrid Fault Line? Pronounced with the accent on the first syllable. New MADrid. Well, I always thought the Chicago part of the state had a funny accent because they are busy sucking all the tax dollars out of us downstaters. You know, all that hoovering interfers with the vocal chords. That, and being a Cubs fans. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/32 "2010-02-12T01:57:51Z")
cubby fans stink. No silent “s” included, Sox fan here. Also, us 7-county people consider anyone west of 39, and south of 80 to be ‘downstate’. All y’all dress funny and stuff. **Shot From Guns** , I’m sorry for not being a leengwist and only being dumb enough to live in the state, and seeing it spelled out on a written page. I will stop trying to correct peepul and be as much of a reegunal pronunceeator as I can in the fewtour. I bow to your incredibly soupearior brayneeness. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/33 "2010-02-12T02:58:06Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > We’re talking about the first vowel, not the last consonant. Please do try to keep up. Were this a discussion of whether or not the s is silent, I’d absolutely agree with you. But this is a case of an actual vowel shift, not some guy who’s only seen “Illinois” written down and just took a stab at how to say it. Posts 19, 20, and 23 were discussing the final consonant. ---
**Author:** ![Visual\_Purple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@Visual\_Purple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Visual_Purple)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/34 "2010-02-12T02:58:21Z")
The pronunciation I hear most regularly is actually a bit between “ill” and “ell.” A linguist probably could explain the sound better, but it’s definitely **not** the sound in the name “Ellen.” I think you’re just objecting to a regional pronunciation tendency that also makes the word “itch” come out surprisingly close to “etch.” ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/35 "2010-02-12T03:12:19Z")
It is easy to remember the right way to say it, because the people of the state are ill and annoying.😉 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/36 "2010-02-12T03:42:04Z")
> [@Visual\_Purple](#): > > The pronunciation I hear most regularly is actually a bit between “ill” and “ell.” A linguist probably could explain the sound better, but it’s definitely **not** the sound in the name “Ellen.” I think you’re just objecting to a regional pronunciation tendency that also makes the word “itch” come out surprisingly close to “etch.” Exactly. It’s part of the accent. The /ɪ/ sound is just more open, and thus closer to /ɛ/. We have the same problem around here, where set and sit sound the same to people who aren’t from around here. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/37 "2010-02-12T03:50:39Z")
[Wal, lookee here!](http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/song-midis/Elanoy.htm) Read it and weep. Also hear it and weep. “She’s crawfish in the swampy lands, the milk-sick and the shakes” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/38 "2010-02-12T04:15:12Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > [Wal, lookee here!](http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/song-midis/Elanoy.htm) Lookee at a 150-year-old folk song? ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565/39 "2010-02-12T04:33:48Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > Lookee at a 150-year-old folk song? Look how the title is spelled. And also the lyrics. Chicago is well known for its honest and virtuous people??? Phhhhhht! And 150 years ago, it was even worse than now!! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/illinois-starts-with-an-i-dammit/528565.md?page=1)