Ideal

In Southern and Appalachian speech, ideal is often used in place of idea. The added "l" sound gives it the local flavor of i-dee-uhl - a familiar feature of rural and small-town pronunciation.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #Southern

synonyms: idea, notion, thought, plan

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I've heard 'ideal' in place of 'idea' all my life - it's a common one down here.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I've heard 'ideal' in place of 'idea' all my life - it's a common one down here.

Pronunciation

[ah-DEE-uhl]
/aˈdiːəl/

Meaning & Usage

- A thought, notion, or plan (noun - dialect form of "idea")

Mae:

Whose ideal was it to move the couch by yourself?

Bud:

Mine - and it weren’t a good one.

variations: i-dee-uhl, ideel, idea (standard form)

★ If you hear "that’s a good ideal," don’t correct ’em - they just think different sounds make better sense. ★

Origin and Etymology

The shift from "idea" to "ideal" likely arose from vowel smoothing and an added -l sound in Southern English pronunciation. Similar patterns appear in Scots-Irish and early colonial English influences that shaped Southern speech. The form has been heard across the South since at least the early 1900s.

Usage Notes

Usually spoken in informal settings and rarely written down. The pronunciation varies by region:

i-dee-uhl - most common modern Southern pronunciation
ah-dee-uhl - deeper drawl form in rural areas
i-dee-uh - standard English form

Most speakers switch naturally between "idea" and "ideal" depending on audience or formality.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Is this wrong?

It’s nonstandard, but completely natural in Southern and Appalachian speech.

Where is it heard?

All across the South and parts of Appalachia, especially among older generations and rural communities.

Do people mean "ideal" like "perfect"?

No - they mean "idea." The "l" sound just comes along for the ride.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 2). Ideal. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/ideal
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Ideal." HillbillySlang.com, 2 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/ideal.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Ideal." HillbillySlang.com. November 2, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/ideal.

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