There are slang terms that people can use anywhere, and other words and sayings that are pretty specific to Illinois.
No matter where you are in the U.S., it might be easy to tell the visitors apart from the born-and-raised residents. Between regional phrases and hometown pride, locally-used words and phrases could give it away.
That’s why Stacker gave an example of one “slang” term in each state. Stacker explains that its did it by “taking data from various sources (to) some of the weird, wacky, and outright crazy slang words Americans use in everyday conversations. From words derived from pidgin, Creole, and Chinook to those with historical origins, these words are sure to leave outsiders scratching their heads.”
So, which word is used by Illinoisans more than anyone else? Gym shoes.
In case you grew up outside of the Prairie State, here’s what that means, according to Stacker:
“Some slang phrases start in one city or state, then spread out and are used all across the country. That's not the case for the Illinois slang word for tennis shoes or sneakers: gym shoes. Allegedly only two cities in the country (Chicago and Cincinnati) use the phrase to describe their lace-ups.”
Check out the rest of the regional slang words and phrases here.