Illinois Accents

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by Joe Vet

Folks, I will take you one more step in this So. Ill accent issue. Yes, the accent changes as you go south but abruptly changes to southern somewhere between Effingham and Rt. 50 with major changes below Rt. 50 to a Ky. twist. However, the word choices also change. The comment on pin for pen is true. Other words and practices common in the vernacular include: you'nse or yootz for the pleural of you as in a group (notice it is not you all, a term more appropriate in the South), "gommin around", a term used for working in a group setting without much progress, "et yet?", an invite to lunch for which you may accept the invitation or reply "done et", chowder is soup but only in the summertime, although not uncommon elsewhere distance whether driving or walking is measured in time not miles, only those north of I-70 have an accent (those in Ky. or further south don't and we don't have any trouble with their vernacular), "putts'n around" is common and enough said to explain non specific leisure time activities, and the first day of deer season is a school holiday.

appears to be a lot different , i know the kentucky around appalachia because we rent cabins there and they really sound different in some parts , so much itshard to understand but so is part of the north east us
not a deer hunter but i think its kind of nice the school has this day off, sometimes kids can learn more from things like this than school itself

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by linicx

I have a freind who calls a crayon a "collar.."

yeah i had one that said collar for color very similar
he was from central illinois

[mattywo85]

I used to live in the Southwest and I am from Chicago area. I was told constantly I had an accent and still to this day I don't notice it.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by M TYPE X

I'm from the Detroit/Ann Arbor area and think there are too many southern accents here in Champaign-Urbana. It could be worse, I could be suffering in Indianatucky.

Like the previous poster said, midstate isn't bad. Go south of Effin'ham and find some good ole boys.

Tuckyana Kentucky and Indiana

[sandwalk]

Ellinois LOL

[cubssoxfan]

Thread made me think of Tom Petty's song "Southern Accents"
I still like my wife's Texas vocabulary, especially necked instead of naked

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Still cant believe that people think a chicago dialect is similar to a wisconsin dialect
dont get that one
i would rather sound southern all day long vs that annoying accent in wi
nothing against our northern neighbors just dont like the sound

[Lud Kissel]

Chicago is a big place and the dialects reflect that. I think that the typical Chicago accent comes from the south side and now southwest suburbs. Some of us say "She-caw-go" and others say "Sha-caw-go". Neither is wrong or not the Chicago way of speaking it just depends on where you grew up. This morning I was talking to a retired 30 year Chicago cop who grew up in the city and lived there his whole life and now lives "over by me" and very carefully listened to his accent and it was VERY Chicago, something I normally would not have noticed had I not been thinking about it. I went home and had a good laugh at all us Shacawgoins with my wife. I can go further into this as far as neighborhood/ethnic background/education level ect.. if anyone cares, just ask!

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Originally Posted by Lud Kissel

Chicago is a big place and the dialects reflect that. I think that the typical Chicago accent comes from the south side and now southwest suburbs. Some of us say "She-caw-go" and others say "Sha-caw-go". Neither is wrong or not the Chicago way of speaking it just depends on where you grew up. This morning I was talking to a retired 30 year Chicago cop who grew up in the city and lived there his whole life and now lives "over by me" and very carefully listened to his accent and it was VERY Chicago, something I normally would not have noticed had I not been thinking about it. I went home and had a good laugh at all us Shacawgoins with my wife. I can go further into this as far as neighborhood/ethnic background/education level ect.. if anyone cares, just ask!

Interesting because i too have been listening to the She caw go vs. the
Sha caw go differeneces.

To me I can hear a difference between a person who grew up on the south side vs. the north side

One time I was flying back from being on a trip and on the plane it was a welcoming situation to hear someone from the chicago area--- with out asking you knew where they were from--- At the time it was music to my ears as I was ready to get back home.

[I Am the Wolf]

I'm not from Chicago (I'm from St. Louis), but a couple of people from outside of St. Louis have told me that I sound kind of Chicago-y. Is that true? I started paying more attention to how people talk and I think a lot of people in St. Louis sound Chicago-y, even though it's near Southern Illinois.

Anyway, here's a recording of my voice:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5nMZGoIwZs