Unless I think it will help my communication with someone who uses the word "soda" I don't use that word. I grew up saying "pop," so that is what I call it. I tended to live in areas where people call it "pop," so I always thought that most people used the word. When someone says soda it still sticks out to me.
When I visited California for work a few years ago, I met up with a friend in the area and we drove along the cost north of San Francisco. We found a restaurant near one of the beaches, which were colder than you might expect in July, and enjoyed lunch. When it came time to order I asked the waitress what kind of pop they had. Her response: "You're from the Midwest, aren't you?" Was it that obvious? She went on to say that she hadn't heard the word "pop" since she lived in Chicago. That relieved me a little embarressment because Chicago is not a backwater place.
I was already aware of the site, but the Pop vs. Soda page has a bit more significance to me after that experience. One useless thing I noticed is that areas that vote more Democratic in presidential elections (the linked site reverses the red and blue voting counties) tend to use the word "soda" and areas that vote more Republican tend to use the words "pop" or "coke." I think they both have to do with geography more than anything else.
I don't think I could get comfortable saying "soda" much even if I tried. It's like changing political parties. You should only do it because of deeply held beliefs or to spite your parents.
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9 comments:
I call it soda now, but it was pop growning up. The part of Indiana I come from it's called pop or soda either one. My parents still call it pop. My kids know it's either or. I think it's because I'm from Central Indiana and the cultures colide in the middle.
We also call it coke sometimes too :) Just for fun! But even when my dad says he wants a coke, he often means Pepsi. I tend to do that too, when I ask someone to get me a drink if I don't say soda I say I'll take a coke. Then I preface it diet coke if I need too!
I call it soda. Jeff calls it pop. My kids are confused...
Gee Dust, I can think of worse things to feel uncomfortable about. Sodapop, soda, pop, or Coke - it is all interchangeable. I have lived in the midwest all my life and have heard all forms.
Isn't 'sodapop' the slang it all originated from? And now it it based on how people shorten it?
I can totally relate with the above comment...lol!
I have lived in ALL THREE areas of "coke", "pop", and "soda"!
In one of my marketing classes, I saw a map of the geographical areas shaded red, white, blue for the different "slang terms". Sure enough...Texas was "coke"; Alaska was "pop"; and Missouri is "soda"!
I never intentionally tried to adapt to the acceptable term...but it eventually grows on you! =D
Oh yeah! There is nothing like a nice cold Coca-Cola in the old fashioned glass bottles with a package of salty peanuts!!!! (its a Texan thing, I think)
What's a Big Red? I'm from South Dakota, and I say soooooda.
If I remember right...I think Big Red was a cream-soda type taste? But it has been many, many moons ago...LOL! (I was only 8)
This week, while in Cincinatti, I found that nearly all the resturants served Pepsi.
Because of this, everytime I asked for a coke they would ask, is Pepsi ok? No.....it's not ok. And they always ask like they are apologizing (as they should be).
Never once have I ever heard someone say is coke ok?. That's because it alway is - and even if you like Pepsi better ... you'll just have to live with the stuff in the red can being the dominant "soda" on the planet.
I grew up in Los Angeles and it was called "Coke". For example you would ask the waiter "What kind of coke do you have?" When I moved out to Iowa, "pop" used to bother me. I would say "I'll pop you one if you don't get me a coke."
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