Southeren Illinois

[BLS2753]

Originally Posted by smac59

Right on, Sandgirl! I've lived in Murphysboro all of my life, earned a bachelor's degree at SIUC (next door in Carbondale), and I've made a good life here. I disagree with BLS2753 (to quote) "Most natives think everyone should want to live here. They have no other frame of reference, because this is all they have ever known." This mindset reminds me of so many Chicagoland students I encountered at SIUC who told me they were amazed at the fact that there was indoor plumbing and paved roads in southern Illinois. As far as I'm concerned, outsiders can move somewhere else!

And this sort of attitude is why the area will never progress beyond what it is.

[Central Illinois 1]

I've lived most of my life in Illinois. It seems to me that we have three distinct dialects. There is Chicagoland and the rest of Northern Illinois where alot of people have a fairly "neutral" dialect (with tinges of Wisconsin-speak once in awhile). From below I-80 to about a line drawn from just south of Quincy over to Champaign, there seems to be the typical rural, midwestern dialect. South of that, I would say that the dialect is predominately of the southern variety, much like Kentucky, So. Indiana, and the Southern half of Missouri.

[nanannie]

Originally Posted by smac59

Right on, Sandgirl! I've lived in Murphysboro all of my life, earned a bachelor's degree at SIUC (next door in Carbondale), and I've made a good life here. I disagree with BLS2753 (to quote) "Most natives think everyone should want to live here. They have no other frame of reference, because this is all they have ever known." This mindset reminds me of so many Chicagoland students I encountered at SIUC who told me they were amazed at the fact that there was indoor plumbing and paved roads in southern Illinois. As far as I'm concerned, outsiders can move somewhere else!

"So many" were Amazed that you had indoor plumbing ?? I dont buy that for a minute. BOLOGNA, or BALONEY whichever you prefer

[wbnurseguy]

Both of my parents are from the Anna/Jonesboro metropolitan area, moved to Phoenix in 1970. I was born in 1971 there and every summer we visited my grandparents in Anna. I never remember any of them having southern accents. After moving to Pa in 2000 I met my dad in St. Louis for a Cardinals game. We went to union county for a day. I could not get over the southern accents of the residents. My father must have lost it over the years because his seems very faint now. Is it possible the residents of southern Illinois have gotten thicker southern accents in 30 years or was I just oblivious to it as a child?

[anr_black]

Originally Posted by Central Illinois 1

I've lived most of my life in Illinois. It seems to me that we have three distinct dialects. There is Chicagoland and the rest of Northern Illinois where alot of people have a fairly "neutral" dialect (with tinges of Wisconsin-speak once in awhile). From below I-80 to about a line drawn from just south of Quincy over to Champaign, there seems to be the typical rural, midwestern dialect. South of that, I would say that the dialect is predominately of the southern variety, much like Kentucky, So. Indiana, and the Southern half of Missouri.

You're saying people south of Champaign sound like people in KY? Are you serious? Sorry, I think you need to draw that line at the extreme southern counties. I'm from Central IL originally, and our "accent" is that there isn't one. I had a journalism professor a few years ago who told me newscasters from the south used to be sent to Central IL to learn the "accent." It's the one you hear on NBC Nightly News.
(given your username, I'd think you'd know that :-)

And as for some other comments lamenting no one there wants to move away: I lived in Chicago for two years and LOVED it, but couldn't afford to make a life. I currently live in St. Louis (the city, not the burbs), and have no plans to return to my hometown. Most of my friends from high school have moved away, and now live all over the country. If you check the populations of most small IL towns, they're shrinking for a reason. People with advanced education have to move for lack of opportunities...any no one I know (in our 30's) has "come home" yet.

[Central Illinois 1]

At least in a relative sense, I think that most people would agree that there is a distinguishable difference in predominate dialects between say the Centralia or Mt. Vernon areas and the predominate dialect that one would hear in say Bloomington-Normal or the Quad Cities areas. Depending on how you look at it, I would argue that the former dialect is either more "southern" or the latter is more "northern". If this is the case, how can they both be neutral? And what type of dialect then do people have in Chicago and Rockford? Is that neutral too? (Not trying to be a smartass - just asking....)

[pegleg66]

I can't attest to all accents in the state, but I can say after being raised in southern MO (southern accents), moving to north-central IL, and spending quite a bit of time in Chicago, I'd say central IL has a neutral accent and Chicago is rather twangy...like the accents you hear on mobster movies. Of course, just like southern accents not all people from Chicago have a thick accent difference, but enough of them do that it's distinguishable...like Mayor Daley for instance.

I personally love the differences in accents, and if I point out your accent difference from mine, it's a compliment.