9 Phrases That Will Make You Swear Illinoisans Have Their Own Language
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Elizabeth Crozier
Author
Have you ever spoken with someone from Illinois and thought, “What are they talking about?” We have some pretty interesting colloquial terms and phrases that most out-of-staters don’t understand, so we’ve compiled this handy guide to help you translate.
If you already know what I mean when I say, “I need to grab my gym shoes to work off that cheese toastie,” then read no further. If that made no sense, then you better keep this guide close by. Keep scrolling for more Illinoisan terms.
Jimmies is the original word for sprinkles, and since so much of Illinois is still stuck in the past, so is some of our language.
You know those pesky little bugs that come out every summer, sometimes carrying disease? Maybe you know them better as mosquitoes.
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That's where you wear them, right? Sneakers, tennis shoes, Nikes - they're all one in the same.
Illinoisans are nothing if not friendly. We greet each other so much, we decided to just smoosh the words together and make our own contraction.
The only place this term is found other than the Midwest is England. It's exactly what it sounds like, though you might know it better as a grilled cheese.
"Salty" is a term we use for when someone gets upset or embarrassed by someone. Just get over it.
This term is more regional to Chicago and is used to describe a Polish-American, typically blue collar, and is used as a term of endearment.
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Illinois is fairly split on the "pop" v.s. "soda" thing, but most peoply know what a soda is. Pop could mean many things.
We're just going to the restroom. If you've been an Illinoisan for over 70 years, you probably even say "warsh."
For more weird things about your state, check out nine things Illinoisans do that may seem insane.
What other phrases are particular to Illinois? Share your thoughts with us!
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