Term used Pop or Soda?

[Scurvy]

I call them soft drinks. I've known a few people who said "pop" or "soda" but most people I've known also said "soft drinks". Even though I've lived all over the south, I've never heard anyone in real life use "Coke" to refer to all soft drinks. I've heard so many people online say everyone in the south does it that I don't know how I've avoided hearing it for all these years, but I'm glad I have because the idea of it drives me crazy! My husband grew up in a teeny tiny southern town with no stoplight and he says people there did use "Coke" for everything.

 

[EMHDad]

I say coke. The common belief is that coke became the vernacular in the sought because coca-cola is based in Atlanta.

 

[Planogirl]

We say "Coke" here but I often say "soft drink" too. I grew in different places and picked it up somewhere.

 

[Bilberry]

We always called the drink by its name, Coke, Pepsi, etc. when living in the mid-west or on the west coast. I don't recall using pop or soda that often.

i live in S. Florida now and get a chuckle from the Jamaicans that work here. They say "pop" when looking for a drink but sometimes it comes out sounding like "pot".

Overall, I believe it good to say no to both! Saw this idea being mentioned this morning.

"Soda-Free Sunday"

http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2012/02/soda-free-sunday.html

 

[nancygirl1]

I can answer two ways...I grew up in Massachusetts just outside Boston. When I was growing up we called it "tonic". Now I call it "soda" because that's what my kids called it once they started school.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Since my question about bringing pop (pepsi) on the transportation thread got a few going on this subject. I'd thought I'd try a poll on which term people use the most. The data that someone put on the trans thread was from 2002, maybe we can get a more accurate number now.

Let's see what everyone thinks!!

I live in NJ and we call it soda.

My mother has family in West Virginia and Michigan that we would visit during the summer and they all called it "pop."

I remember when I was a kid and the first time my cousin asked me if I wanted a "pop" I taught he wanted to sock me.

After awhile and in deference to us they would always ask us if we wanted a "soda pop!"

BTW, I always loved visiting the different states and drinking the sodas that we couldn't get here in NJ.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

Growing up around Indianapolis, I called it soda (as did many friends), my parents and older relatives called it pop (until a teenage me mocked them so mercilessly that they changed) and I had a few friends who called it Coke. Now having lived in the mid-Atlantic for almost ten years, I can't remember the last time I heard someone say anything other than soda.

Soda has ice cream in it, thus, it is pop.

I'm really curious about this because I have no idea what you're referring to. When you use soda this way, are you talking about something like a root beer or coke float, where the soda/pop/coke/soft drink is poured over ice cream? Or are you talking about something else?

 

[dngnb8]

Between pop and soda, I say soda. Usually I dont use either. I say the name of the drink.

Im getting a D P, Ginger ale etc.

 

[GeorgeG]

I grew up and spend most of my life in the NYC suburbs and it was always soda, Coke, or Pepsi. I've spent some time in California and Washington State and don't remember it being any different there. Where I now live in Central Florida people are from all over so we do hear the term pop used on occasion, but it's usually just coke for any cola (Coke, Pepsi, etc.). It's interesting how people from different areas, even within the same states, call things. The most unusual I've heard down here was in an ice cream store a man asked for his in a "box," meaning a cup. That was the only time I've ever heard that used.

 

[fairestoneofall]

i grew up outside of Cincinnati. we called it "pop."

now, i live in SC. here, a lot of people call any kind of dark carbonated beverage "coke." but others say "soda."

i now call it "soda," because nobody ever knew what i was talking about when i'd say, "pop."

or, i'll call it by the actual drink's name. "i'd like a coke zero, please." "honey, do you want a diet coke?"

 

[cluvsdisney]

I say soda or just a drink since diet pepsi is what I drink 99% of the time.

 

[Wendy31]

I'm in southeastern TN, & it's "coke"!

However, if we're at a restaurant ordering our drinks, we wouldn't order a coke if we wanted a Sprite or Dr. Pepper - we'd order the particular coke we wanted.

If I'm making a list of what supplies I need for a party, I'll list "cokes" & know, when I go to the store, I need to get a variety of soft drinks... Coke, Sprite, etc.

If you're at someone's house, & the host asks, "Would you like something to drink?", you may reply, "Sure, I'll take a coke." To which the host might clarify, "I have Coke, Sprite, Mountain Dew, Diet Coke..." "Thanks. I'll take a Sprite."

 

[lizbaby007]

Grew up in Central Texas (DFW) and used the term Coke for everything. Most of the people I know did the same although Soda was used by some as well.

I live in Iowa now and everyone calls it Pop which sounds silly to me and is something I will never get use to nor will I use the term myself.

 

[mlittig]

I can answer two ways...I grew up in Massachusetts just outside Boston. When I was growing up we called it "tonic". Now I call it "soda" because that's what my kids called it once they started school.

Another vote from Massachusetts and it was always tonic

 

[Piglet4Ever]

I grew up in Ohio and said pop. Once I married Dh and started moving around the country I started saying soda. Now when I go home to visit everyone makes fun of me for saying soda instead of pop.

I also grew up calling vacuum cleaners "sweepers" I still use that term. Dh and I have had many lively discussions over that one.

 

[skiingfast]

So many slack jawed yocals in here.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I can honestly say that where im from, in all my 36 years i have not once heard someone refer to soft drinks as SODA. its always POP. I think it all depends where your from? looks like the term soda is more common in the USA. (im from Canada).

 

[stevenpensacola]

We say "coke" regardless of the brand.

 

[Feralpeg]

Growing up in the Midwest, we used the term "pop". Once I moved to Florida, I found out quickly that no one knows what you're talking about if you say "pop". So, now I call it "soda".

 

[lcj19]

We have always called everything coke...then it what kind of coke do you want? Except for Dr. Pepper....its just Dr.Pepper