This will forever be an ongoing debate as long as we live in the Prairie State of good ol' Illinois.

Growing up in this state, I've had my fair share of conversations with out-of-towners about how to say "Illinois".  Most times, people unknowingly say the "s" at the end and it drives me crazy.

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Do you feel the same?  It's one of my biggest icks.

Why Do Some Americans Pronounce Illinois With An "S"?

There is actually some pretty cool history behind it!

"The French pronounced Illinois as ill-in-weh, and in 17th century French the sound weh was written ois." [illinoistimes]

 

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The English language is one of the hardest to learn because of all the silent letters and different slang terms we use.

Like cite, sight, and site.  They all mean different things, but all said the exact same way.  It's difficult sometimes, we know!

Read More: Midwest Humor: Commonly Mispronounced Words in Illinois 

I say Illinois without the "s", but tons of people say it with the "s"... "ill-in-oiz."  Even when you watch the news you'll hear one news anchor say it one way and another reporter say it a different way.

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Where did the miscommunication of Illinois even originate?

"the French misheard the Indians, and the Americans misread the French, anticipating Rauner and Madigan in a tradition that is now more than 300 years old." [illinoistimes]

 

Related: Apparently We Aren't Pronouncing "IKEA" Correctly

As long as Illinoisans know how to say Illinois correctly, that's all that matters.  To anybody who doesn't live in the Land of Lincoln, we'll make an exception until you move here.

Just remember, it's pronounced "Ill-i-noy."  Leave out the "s", it'll make life a whole lot easier!

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