OT: "What do you call Soft Drinks?"

[Paul in CT]

I'm curious, what are all those 'other' people calling it. lol

Back where I grew up in eastern Massachusetts, we called it "tonic".

 

[disneyholic family]

Well, "Pop" is my dad. Soda is the carbonated drink....I match the map!!!

i'm from Michigan, a pop state through and through...
but when i went to university in baltimore...
my first year there, every time i said pop, someone would say, "where's ma?"...

it took me a year, but i eventually called it by its name (coke, pepsi, sprite, whatever)..

but as soon as i graduated from Hopkins, i very happily went back to 'pop'..
after all - everyone KNOWS, that's what it's called!!

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My husband who was born and raised in MN calls it Pop.

I was born in PA and lived there till I was 13 before moving to MN and have always called it soda.

My kids who were born in GA call it soda but they may get that from me.

But all the adults I know in GA call everything Coke as in "I'd like a coke please" and then you ask "What Kind?" to get them the right thing. I've always thought it strange.

 

[Friendly Frog]

I am in Texas, "Coke" country.

Yes, Coke is the term used generically such as "May I buy you a Coke?" The actual name of the drink is used when ordering or when indicating a specific request. "May I buy you a Coke" might be answered with "Yes, a Pepsi, please.".

I have never heard "I would like a Coke." as a request when the actual product Coke was not wanted. It is mostly used as a generic question.

BTW- "Soft drink" is also often used in my area as the generic term.

 

[ssawka]

I find it fascinating that the majority of North Carolina calls it Coke even though New Bern was where Pepsi was invented!

Personally, being from the North East (Pennsylvania originally, Virginia now) I've always called it Soda. The rest of PA used to make fun of people from Pittsburgh that called it "pop"!

 

[WorldWacky]

Personally, being from the North East (Pennsylvania originally, Virginia now) I've always called it Soda. The rest of PA used to make fun of people from Pittsburgh that called it "pop"!

I'm one of those people you made fun of then. As an original Pittsburgher transplanted to Long Island, I've had to adapt to the crowd and now call it soda. Now my family makes fun of me. Guess I can't win. (I'll never stop saying "redd-up" though. You Pittsburghers know what I mean!)

 

[jacstangler]

Pop sounds so British. Coke is a soda. Pepsi is a soda. Did you ever hear those companies call their product pop. It's liike calling gasoline petro.
Did you ever see a comercial calling soda pop. Where did that start?

 

[Friendly Frog]

Did you ever see a commercial calling soda pop. Where did that start?

Actually both names were used together a long time ago. It was once called Soda Pop. My dad called it a Soda Pop the whole time he was alive. The term was used long before TV or commercials.

 

[BriarRosie]

Curious question for the other Ohioans... do you or anyone you know call Kroger "Krogers" or Meijer "Meijers"? My friend does it and it drives my DS crazy. Even when he was just 4 he would say, "Mom, why does she do that? There is no "s" on either of those buildings."

It does irritate me when people pluralize or use the possessive. Case in point: Instead of Jewel (the Chicago area supermarket chain), one of my coworkers has said, "I'm going to the Jewels after work." Ugh. It's up there on the annoyance with Boma's, O'Hana's (c'mon, I'd be impressed if you typed 'Ohana), Jiko's, etc. I'd have to cackle with laughter if these people would type "Citrico" or "Narcossee" just to drive us up the wall.

Coke is a brand name. If I want Diet Dr. Pepper, I'm not asking for Coke.

I like you just because you like my favorite beverage, Diet Dr. Pepper. And I've been known to stop saying "pop" when I travel and ask for a soda or soft drink. It feels forced, though.

 

[Floridian Princess]

Over here in Scotland soft drinks are fizzy drinks or ginger which relates to any flavour of soft drinks not just ginger beer!!.

When we are in Florida I love the iced teas and root beer which are both hard to find here.