Illinoisn.adj.

Etymology: Partly (i) (originally) < North American French (Mississippi Valley) Illinois, †Ilinois, †Islinois (1670 or earlier), ultimately < Illinois irenȣeȣa (/irenweːwa/) he speaks Illinois, lit. ‘he speaks the ordinary language’, via another Algonquian language (probably Ojibwa (Ottawa)), apparently with subsequent reinterpretation of the final syllable as French -ois (see -ese suffix), and partly (ii) (in some later combinations) < the names of the Illinois River, the Illinois Territory, and (subsequently) the U.S. state of Illinois, all ultimately named after the Illinois people, who inhabited the region (see note).The self-designation of the people was Illinois Inoca . Variants and pronunciation. In the β. forms with remodelling of the final syllable after -ese suffix. The current English pronunciation without the final consonant reflects the French pronunciation. A pronunciation with final /z/ is also given in some American dictionary sources. Historical place names. In the 18th cent., the Illinois Country (French le Pays des Illinois , lit. ‘land of the Illinois people’, also more usually aux Illinois , lit. ‘at the Illinois’) was the name of a large territory in New France, part of which was ceded to the British in 1763 and subsequently broken up further. The Illinois Territory (of the United States) was formed in 1809, and its southern part, centring on the Illinois River, became the State of Illinois in 1818. In Illinois River (compare quot. 1755 at sense B.) after French Rivière des Illinois, lit. ‘River of the Illinois people’ (1697 in the work translated in quot. 1698 at sense A. 1). The forms of the place name chiefly match those used for the name of the people, but also include Elenoise and Illinoize (19th cent.), implying a variant pronunciation of the place name with final /z/.