Huh? Illinois Sayings The Rest Of America Can’t Understand

If you're talking with someone who lives outside of Illinois and they give you a few odd looks, it might just be what you're saying that's throwing them off.

You could live in the Midwest your entire life and not realize you've been using slang terms others might not understand.  One time, I said "Oregon" how I would normally say it in front of someone who was from Seattle, Washington and they corrected me.

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This was me trying to keep my composure:

We all have different accents, different ways of speaking, and pronouncing certain words!  That's what I love so much about language!

Illinois Sayings The Rest Of America Can't Understand

“I’ll be darned”

It’s our polite way of expressing surprise!  I do say it in conversation when I don't know what else to say.  Gives everyone a second to think haha.

"Pop"

Yeah, yeah.  We know you all say soda.  Not us!

"Pitch in”

I didn't know this was a Midwestern thing until today.  It’s just a way of saying we’re all in it together, like let's come together and each make something for a barbecue!

"Jeet"

My mom says this so much... it rubbed off on me now.  If you say, "Did you eat yet?" fast enough, it blends into "jeet".  Get it?

"Gym shoes"

Not sure I remember the last time I said I needed to grab my tennis shoes.  Gym shoes is the correct term - it's what we were taught from birth, don't blame us!

“Let’s go to the city”

Listen, not everyone lives in Chicago.  I live two hours from it and if I'm ever going to visit my sister in Chicago, I tell my friends I'm going to the city.  It's an inside thing.. outsiders wouldn't understand.

And finally... “I’ll scoot right past ya.”

Someone just said this to me the other day and I laughed because it's such a Midwestern thing to say haha.  it’s just a friendly way to say we’ll move aside!  And if you bump into someone, you say "ope".

So, there you have it! If you use any of these phrases, congratulations—you’re more of an Illinoisan than you think.