The debate rages on! Growing up, I always called pop…pop. But the name largely varies based on where you live. Now, there’s been (semi) official research done! PopVsSoda.com is an ongiong project to plot where in the US various names for cola are most prevelant. Here’s one of the maps:
You’ll probably need to click it to enlarge the map so you can read the data, but basically, “Pop” is popular in the North and Midwest states, “Soda” is the term used most frequently in the North East and Western states, and a generalized “coke” is used primarily in the South. For more maps and data, check out PopVsSoda.com
I grew up in Illinois, and “pop” is definitely prevalent out there. I live in California now, and out here it’s definitely “soda.”
I used to call it pop, but my girlfriend calls it soda. Now I call both pop and soda… I didn’t really drink it growing up, but now I drink it more often.
It’s pop here in England, but you’ll find it in the “soft drinks” isle at the supermarket (what’s a hard drink then? Jelly?).
If you asked for soda, you’d just get carbonated water.
I still don’t get how so many people can just call it “coke”.
Karakh - I’m in the same boat as you. I grew up in South Africa & we would get carbonated water if we asked for soda. The carbonated drinks were always in the soft drinks aisle, but people in SA tend to call a drink by it’s name or similar: Coca-cola & Pepsi got lumped into the name - Coke. Creme Soda was called by its name (a kids soda that tasted like a melon soda of sorts). Fanta was Fanta, but if you had to just ask for Fanta you would get Orange, any other flavour would have to be specified, and so the list would continue.
But the question that I posted on another page still stands. Whether people call it soda, pop or cola, what is really? What constitutes a soda? Does the drink have to meet certain criteria to be considered a soda? ie Carbonated; Canned; Flavoured; Sugar content? etc…
A soft drink is a beverage that does not contain alcohol
Graham - does that mean that fruit juices or milk are called a soft drink? Generally I’ve seen soft drinks reffered to as the carbonated kind, but not all carbonated drinks without alcohol are soft drinks either…theres the conundrum.
soda for me. im on long island. around here coke and pepsi are interchangeable, we rarely say cola the same goes for sprite seven up and siera mist. we almost never say lemon lime soda and flavors like orange grape cream and so forth are called by the flavor then soda ex orange soda and flavors that are complete on their own are called as so ex. rootbeer. we rarely say soft drink and pop is reserved for the elderly. so there ya go.
I’m here in Florida, and I just say what i want. If I was to want Coke then that’s what I say. Although, I have found that being this specific gets me one response: “Will Pepsi be okay?” Of course that’s only if I order Coke, if I go with anything else its the still the same, “Will Mr. Pibb be okay?”
That map is pretty accurate from what I have seen. Here in Texas most sodas get refered to as “coke” and somtime soda but no one who has lived here any time calls it pop thats just retarded… Some really ghetto or country ass people will say soady pop or soda wata. TNB.
I’m surprised the north-east doesn’t call it pop… especially Maine. Yay for Canada effecting your lexicon.
What about the hybrid “soda-pop”?
I grew up in Mississippi and everyone called it “Coke” (except for my family, we are originally yanks). I have heard the question “What kinda Coke y’all want with that” asked so often the absurdity has wore off.
I’ve lived in Iowa my whole life and most of us call it “pop”, although a few people I know who want to act they’re from the big snooty cities refer to it as “soda”. When I was in high school I went to a conference in Washington D.C. and one of my roomies was from Mississippi. The first night she asked us all “Y’all want a Coke?” to which I answered “sure”. She replied “What kind?” and I said, “Just regular, please.” She was utterly confused and so was I.
Unfortunately I live in southwest Virginia and around here a lot of the rednecks call it “drink”. That’s how sad it is, they just refer to it as drink because it’s all they drink. At least you’ll be happy to know that the preferred choice of wife-beating, tractor-pulling, darkie-hating, nascar-loving rednecks is Dr. Pepper.
i live is Californian and even if every one calls it soda out here. i fucking call the drink by its name. example, fuck ass over there has a coke.
or douche bag number one has a sprite.
or, i really really want a Pepsi through back, oh and by the way i really like that one even if i am a strong coka cola drinker.
I live in California, and I’ve always referred to soft drinks overall as “soda”, though I also call soda by it’s actual name as well as soon as I know what kind I want…
I wonder how it varies in Canada. In Southwestern Ontario (the part of Canada that penetrated the US) we call it “pop”.
And one more thing. Ginger Ale is ginger ale - Ginger Ale does not equal sprite mixed with Coca-Cola! Stupid Indianans!
Cyllus is a fucktard. Here are corrections to his/her post:
I live in California and even if everyone calls it soda out here, I fucking call the drink by its name. Example:
Fuck-ass over there has a Coke.
or
Douchebag number one has a Sprite.
or
I really, really want a Pepsi Throwback.
Oh, and by the way, I really like that on even if I am a strong Coca Cola drinker. I am a fucking nigger who does not know English. I need to be euthanized and turned into Soylent Green so people who deserve to live can enjoy my remains.
BTW I would like a liter of cola.
Seriously read all the “other” choice data. Some are fucking hilarious.
Examples:
A large Farva
(generic niggerspeak)
Jew juice
Phosphate
yeah, in texas we call everything “coke”.
when i moved to colorado for school, i encountered people who called it “pop”, and it drives me fucking crazy.
I call it sparkle fizzle sugar juice.
It’s a Scandinavian thing.
I read somewhere that some people call it “tonic”. Must be gin freaks.
in kentucky, where i live, it is very divided between “COKE” and “POP” the eastern, more rural and mountainous area calls it POP while the more metro, city areas in the central and west call EVERYTHING coke.
We used to just call it Coke. So like what kind of Coke do you want?