Is it soda or is it pop? Once and for all

[OUDisneyChica2214]

Here in Oklahoma we call it Coke, whether it's really coke or not (i.e. Sprite, Dr. Pepper is coke too).

 

[luvdzny]

Here in Wisconsin it is soda. I was born in Texas, and grew up in Texas, Georgia & Alabama so I am used to saying "coke" for all kinds of soda. We just got back from visiting relatives in Texas. My sister told DD that there was plenty of coke in the refrigerator, DD comes back and says "mom, there was only Pepsi & Mr. Pibb in there, no Coke!" I just laughed...

 

[tax58]

In Tennessee it's Coke.

 

[LadyAurora]

I had to laugh! I call it soda, raised in IL now live in FL. Used to call it pop but caused too much confusion.
A story from my youth:
I used to work at a fast-food place. Two children came in and ordered "two cokes, a sprite and an orange". So I filled the four cups, but they only wanted to pay for two. After a little confusion, I realized they wanted two cokes: one of them sprite and one of them orange. Obviously they were on vacation from somewhere in the South!

 

[Wagamama]

Its soda!! Pop is what happens when a balloon bursts!

 

[mrsmom]

Here in Ohio it's Pop.

Kim

 

[VintageKnight]

Growin up here in OKLAHOMA, its coke always has been,

now since i got married and have aged a few yrs...i've learned to be more specific...( my wifes got a mean streak when your not precise, her cousin somthin cold to drink one time, he got pickle juice)

its dew, cherry coke or water in my family...water is king.

VK

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Lady Aurora


I would have made the same "mistake". A linkto the official poll taken by Harvard University is here on the DIS. I added some of the results to the thread, or you can see the entire dialect poll on the first post.

 

[marymrg]

I'm a soda girl...........living in a pop world. But, my kids say both.........they are the ultimate compromisers.(soda at home..........pop with their friends)

My grandmother called it soft stuff. (opposite of hard stuff??)

Mary

 

[Goofyish]

In the UK the generic name for a cold carbonated beverage would be 'fizzy pop' or 'soft drink'.

'Coke' tends to be used as a generic term for cola drinks (Coke Cola, Pepsi etc.).
So if you ordered a 'coke' you could get Coke Cola, Pepsi, or whatever generic brand of cola is on sale.

If you asked for a soda you would just get a blank look or get a small bottle of soda water (water with sodium bicarbonate added). This is often used as a mixer for Whiskey and other spirits.
Even worse you could end up getting caustic soda - not a very nice thing to drink!!

 

[stevenpensacola]

Down here, we just call them "cokes".

You'll still hear some of the old-timers call them
"co-colers"