Please Tell the Out-of-Staters to Stop Saying the ‘S’ in Illinois

I have a dream. It's not a big dream, but I would love to see it come true. For the love of all that is good and holy, could someone please explain to the out-of-staters to stop pronouncing the "S" at the end of Illinois.

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This has been a pet peeve of mine for years. I get the same "fingers scraping down the chalkboard" feeling when someone pronounces the "S" at the end of Des Moines. (*shudder*) This fun video short is from a guy who shares my passion for letting that "S" just sit there and not get said.

This topic got covered in a conversation on Quora, too. You don't say the "s" part at the end of Illinois because it's a French thing. It's like saying the "s" at the end of Arkansas although "sass" would apply to some of the good people I've known from the Razorback state.

I realize that getting irritated because people say the "S" at the end of Illinois is a first-world problem. Will getting people to abide by the correct pronunciation bring us world peace or end worldwide hunger? Unfortunately, no. However, will it keep me from going out of my freaking mind? Very possibly and that might save a life someday.

You never know. (or is that "knows"?)