Soda vs. Pop

[jeffandnicole]

I'm from Maryland, if the Maryland flag to the left of this post didn't make it obvious enough, and it's pretty much universally "soda". I have been through "pop country", however. And apparently calling every soda Coke is a Texas thing?

It certainly is a thing....  I've lived so many places that I generally just found it either to call a particular carbonated beverage by the actual name; Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, ect.  The Mid-West was really big on "pop" while the east coast was big on "Soda."  Around places like Texas, New Mexico, and some of the surrounding states it would be "Coke."  Granted some of the regional slangs have started to fall apart in the last couple decades across some regions as people are migrating towards the Sun Belt.

Sorta like how my dad will call all pastas Spaghetti.

"What are you having for dinner?"
"Spaghetti"
I stop by, and see raviolis on the plate. 

[bmorrill]

And apparently calling every soda Coke is a Texas thing?

Used to be a Southern thing, and more properly "a Co-Cola".

[US71]

And apparently calling every soda Coke is a Texas thing?

Used to be a Southern thing, and more properly "a Co-Cola".

RC Cola and a moonpie

SM-G930V

[cjk374]

And apparently calling every soda Coke is a Texas thing?

Used to be a Southern thing, and more properly "a Co-Cola".

RC Cola and a moonpie

SM-G930V

A fine, high-class delicacy if I do say so myself!

[1995hoo]

I'm from Maryland, if the Maryland flag to the left of this post didn't make it obvious enough, and it's pretty much universally "soda". I have been through "pop country", however. And apparently calling every soda Coke is a Texas thing?

It certainly is a thing....  I've lived so many places that I generally just found it either to call a particular carbonated beverage by the actual name; Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, ect.  The Mid-West was really big on "pop" while the east coast was big on "Soda."  Around places like Texas, New Mexico, and some of the surrounding states it would be "Coke."  Granted some of the regional slangs have started to fall apart in the last couple decades across some regions as people are migrating towards the Sun Belt.

Sorta like how my dad will call all pastas Spaghetti.

"What are you having for dinner?"
"Spaghetti"
I stop by, and see raviolis on the plate. 

My mom always called traffic lights "stop lights," regardless of whether you actually had to stop. If she were giving directions to their house, she might tell someone to exit the Beltway and "go through six stop lights, then make the next right turn."

[7/8]

I'm from Maryland, if the Maryland flag to the left of this post didn't make it obvious enough, and it's pretty much universally "soda". I have been through "pop country", however. And apparently calling every soda Coke is a Texas thing?

It certainly is a thing....  I've lived so many places that I generally just found it either to call a particular carbonated beverage by the actual name; Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, ect.  The Mid-West was really big on "pop" while the east coast was big on "Soda."  Around places like Texas, New Mexico, and some of the surrounding states it would be "Coke."  Granted some of the regional slangs have started to fall apart in the last couple decades across some regions as people are migrating towards the Sun Belt.

Sorta like how my dad will call all pastas Spaghetti.

"What are you having for dinner?"
"Spaghetti"
I stop by, and see raviolis on the plate. 

My mom always called traffic lights "stop lights," regardless of whether you actually had to stop. If she were giving directions to their house, she might tell someone to exit the Beltway and "go through six stop lights, then make the next right turn."

I often calll them "stop lights" even though it doesn't make that much sense.

As for soda vs. pop, everyone here calls it pop. Growing up, I thought soda was the technical name that no one would actually use, but I learned several years ago that it's actually a regional thing.

When I first heard about calling all pop "coke", I thought that seemed so confusing. But I guess it's similar to how I call all tissues "Kleenex".

[MisterSG1]

Generally across Canada, the term "pop" is used by most, but oddly enough I've been saying the word "soda" for a very long time despite no one else I know does. My relatives used to use "sodapop" so perhaps it may have to do with that.

Even so in Canada, Kim Mitchell's most well known song was about soda, not pop. 

[7/8]

Even so in Canada, Kim Mitchell's most well known song was about soda, not pop. 

I guess "might as well go for a pop" doesn't sound quite as catchy

[texaskdog]

I live in Austin and no one refers to all drinks as Coke.

[texaskdog]

Even so in Canada, Kim Mitchell's most well known song was about soda, not pop. 

I guess "might as well go for a pop" doesn't sound quite as catchy

It worked for Barney Fife "I'm going to get a bottle of pop and go to Thelma Lou's and watch some TV"

[inkyatari]

I'll have iced tea, please

SM-G930V

Make that a SWEET tea....

Yuck! Keep that sweet junk in the south! Unsweet Iced Tea!  You want it sweet? Get sugar packets!

[Rothman]

I live in Austin and no one refers to all drinks as Coke.

Austin is a bubble.

I actually thought it was a Georgia thing.

All I know is that educated people say "soda," people who never matured past elementary school say, "pop," and people who have no brains for themselves whatsoever and are slaves to Fox News and Coca-Cola call everything, including Pepsi, "coke."

[hbelkins]

All I know is that educated people say "soda," people who never matured past elementary school say, "pop,"

Bullcrap, and you of all people (being from Floyd County, Ky.) should know better. Around here, everyone (including people with master's degrees like me) call it "pop." "Soda" is something that pretentious northeasterners say.

[Brandon]

I live in Austin and no one refers to all drinks as Coke.

Austin is a bubble.

I actually thought it was a Georgia thing.

All I know is that educated people say "soda," people who never matured past elementary school say, "pop," and people who have no brains for themselves whatsoever and are slaves to Fox News and Coca-Cola call everything, including Pepsi, "coke."

Right.  I find arrogant east coasters call it "soda".  Normal, sane people call it "pop", or maybe "coke".

[Rothman]

All I know is that educated people say "soda," people who never matured past elementary school say, "pop,"

Bullcrap, and you of all people (being from Floyd County, Ky.) should know better. Around here, everyone (including people with master's degrees like me) call it "pop." "Soda" is something that pretentious northeasterners say.

I am not from Floyd County, KY.  My mother is. 

[Mr_Northside]

I'm from Maryland, if the Maryland flag to the left of this post didn't make it obvious enough, and it's pretty much universally "soda". I have been through "pop country", however. And apparently calling every soda Coke is a Texas thing?

It certainly is a thing....  I've lived so many places that I generally just found it either to call a particular carbonated beverage by the actual name; Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, ect.  The Mid-West was really big on "pop" while the east coast was big on "Soda."  Around places like Texas, New Mexico, and some of the surrounding states it would be "Coke."  Granted some of the regional slangs have started to fall apart in the last couple decades across some regions as people are migrating towards the Sun Belt.

Sorta like how my dad will call all pastas Spaghetti.

"What are you having for dinner?"
"Spaghetti"
I stop by, and see raviolis on the plate. 

My mom always called traffic lights "stop lights," regardless of whether you actually had to stop. If she were giving directions to their house, she might tell someone to exit the Beltway and "go through six stop lights, then make the next right turn."

Another thing I hear a lot, along those lines, is calling every utility pole a "telephone pole", regardless of what function the pole is there for, or if there is even any telephone company infrastructure on it all.

[hotdogPi]

Another thing I hear a lot, along those lines, is calling every utility pole a "telephone pole", regardless of what function the pole is there for, or if there is even any telephone company infrastructure on it all.

[hbelkins]

Right.  I find arrogant east coasters call it "soda".  Normal, sane people call it "pop", or maybe "coke".

The only time people really use the generic "coke" for any brand or flavor of pop is sometimes they will ask, "do you want to get a Coke?"

My wife will sometimes say that, when in reality she's going to be bringing me a Diet Coke, Diet Vernor's or Diet Ale-8.

[empirestate]

I've lived so many places that I generally just found it either to call a particular carbonated beverage by the actual name; Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, ect.

You misspelled "Dr Pepper".

(Hey, you said actual name...)

[sparker]

The terminology, at least out here on the west coast, seems to be a matter of time rather than geography.  IIRC, from the 50's through the '70's the more common reference was "pop" (anyone remember Sprig lemon-lime and the various Birely's fruit flavors? -- or "green cola"?).  "Soda" seemed to supplant it as the basic term somewhere in the early '80's.  Still, folks older than myself often use "pop"; I can't recall a time in the last 30+ years that I've referred to it as anything but soda. 

Another long-gone oldie: Delaware Punch!  (I loved the stuff as a kid!)

[cjk374]

The terminology, at least out here on the west coast, seems to be a matter of time rather than geography.  IIRC, from the 50's through the '70's the more common reference was "pop" (anyone remember Sprig lemon-lime and the various Birely's fruit flavors? -- or "green cola"?).  "Soda" seemed to supplant it as the basic term somewhere in the early '80's.  Still, folks older than myself often use "pop"; I can't recall a time in the last 30+ years that I've referred to it as anything but soda. 

Another long-gone oldie: Delaware Punch!  (I loved the stuff as a kid!)

Not long gone at all. We still have it here in Louisiana.

[sparker]

The terminology, at least out here on the west coast, seems to be a matter of time rather than geography.  IIRC, from the 50's through the '70's the more common reference was "pop" (anyone remember Sprig lemon-lime and the various Birely's fruit flavors? -- or "green cola"?).  "Soda" seemed to supplant it as the basic term somewhere in the early '80's.  Still, folks older than myself often use "pop"; I can't recall a time in the last 30+ years that I've referred to it as anything but soda. 

Another long-gone oldie: Delaware Punch!  (I loved the stuff as a kid!)

Not long gone at all. We still have it here in Louisiana.

Holy shit!  Blackened redfish, red beans & rice, and Delaware Punch?  I'll be right down!  Never saw it on a menu; should have checked the markets last time I was in NOLA!  Wonder if anyone ships?????

[cjk374]

The terminology, at least out here on the west coast, seems to be a matter of time rather than geography.  IIRC, from the 50's through the '70's the more common reference was "pop" (anyone remember Sprig lemon-lime and the various Birely's fruit flavors? -- or "green cola"?).  "Soda" seemed to supplant it as the basic term somewhere in the early '80's.  Still, folks older than myself often use "pop"; I can't recall a time in the last 30+ years that I've referred to it as anything but soda. 

Another long-gone oldie: Delaware Punch!  (I loved the stuff as a kid!)

Not long gone at all. We still have it here in Louisiana.

Holy shit!  Blackened redfish, red beans & rice, and Delaware Punch?  I'll be right down!  Never saw it on a menu; should have checked the markets last time I was in NOLA!  Wonder if anyone ships?????

I haven't seen them in restaurants, but you can buy them at Brookshires grocery stores (and their other stores named "Super 1") and maybe Wal-Mart, but I need to check that.

[inkyatari]

I don't care what you call it, soft drinks from Mexico kick ass.

Pineapple Jarritos, and Sidral Mundet..  MMMM  Then there' imported Coke.  (insert drug joke here.)

[sparker]

I don't care what you call it, soft drinks from Mexico kick ass.

Pineapple Jarritos, and Sidral Mundet..  MMMM  Then there' imported Coke.  (insert drug joke here.)

Around here (San Jose, CA) Jarritos is on the shelf of most major markets; we've got a "discount" chain called Grocery Outlet that stocks most of their flavors -- this, and imported Coke, is one of the advantages of living in an area with a significant Latino population.  All those products feature real cane sugar rather than the ubiquitous HF corn syrup, so while they don't do much for weight-loss diets, they certainly taste better!  I may drink one of these two or three times a year (I do like Jarritos Lime); but my normal fare is diet soda (Cherry Zero Coke is the current favorite).