Let's Settle This Once And For All!

[rp2813]

Interesting question. I just got copied on an e-mail that provides a long list of ways to know for sure if someone is from Chicago. One is that carbonated beverages are called "pop."

In our house it's soda. However, the term "soda pop" does have its place as well. I recall advising an oenophile relative how much I disliked white zinfandel and he emphatically agreed and advised that it was like "soda pop" and that term did seem to imply "sweet" better than just "soda" would have. He's originally from New Orleans. I don't know what they call it there, but I suspect soda/pop is kind of an incidental beverage in those parts anyway.

 

[dubstar85]

Pop isn't a UK wide thing. In central/ northern Scotland I've never head of anyone calling it pop. Glaswegians call it "Ginger" after Irn Bru which is a distinct shade of orange. My family and friends (probably in a reflection of how bad Scottish diets are) call it juice.

Whenever i've been to the US/Canada its been Soda i've been hearing!

David

 

[hooverwheelaway]

Awww...

I saw the title of this thread, and thought... "Ooh, Laundress is going to finally show us a picture of him/herself...

*nuts*

 

[hooverwheelaway]

And I refer to it as soda.

~F

 

[frigilux]

Minnesota: It's called pop. If you say 'soda', you risk sounding affected.

 

[swestoyz]

Most of Iowa - it is pop. It doesn't take long though when traveling into Missouri from the north that they don't know what pop is.

I've been known to call it by both, depending on mood. Sometimes it sounds better if you throw a bit of soda into your sentence, where pop just doesn't have the flare.

 

[polkanut]

The retired owner of Pepsi here in Wausau will correct anyone he hears using the word "pop". He's 86yrs. old and still drinks 2-3 12oz. Pepsi's a day, and no diabetes whatsoever. He does add a little Jim Beam bourbon just like his mother did. According to my wife, his mother even kept a pint in her desk, strictly for "medicinal purposes". HAHA

 

[whirlcool]

In Minnesota and the upper midwest, I have heard the terms "Pop" & "Soda" used interchangably.

In Texas, like 58Limited stated, people usually refer to the drink by brand name rather than pop or soda.

 

[gyrafoam]

In Atlanta it's "'Co-Cola".
To me everything else is a soda.

 

[mattywashboy]

over here we seem to be more formal, we call it 'soft drink', so u ask ur guest if they would like some soft drink then offer them the range of choices. Being a british boy i used to call it 'pop' when i first arrived but that was met with some very confused looks and no progress in getting a drink.
Matt

 

[petek]

I always remember watching Tool Time with Tim the tool man Taylor etc.. in the show they apparently lived in suburban Detroit somewhere but in the few shows where a soft drink was called for he or others in the show called it a "soda". Now no-one in Michigan calls it a soda.. it's pop

 

[alr2903]

LOL, my Dad called it Sodie Pop, to me its a coke, in younger years in New Orleans, all carbonated beverages were on the "cold drink aisle", and thats non refrigerated stock, was a tad bit confusing to a yank

 

[alr2903]

polkanauts post reminded me of Faye Dunaway in Mommie dearest, something like " well you've found a movie star to sell Your Soda pop", wish i was bright enough to post "a you tube" linkie.

 

[pulsator]

We used to call it pop, but then my dad met his partner when I was 8 who grew up and lived in Maryland. Ever since, I've called it soda, my friends always make fun of me not only for saying "soda" but, apparently, I also say "soda" in a odd way... Not sure how it's odd but apparently, it is!

 

[sudsmaster]

"Soda pop" seems redundant today but that's what I remember calling it when I was a mere New England pre-teen around the middle of last century.

"Soft drink" itself is a bit of a wry joke of a name. The implication is that a real drink is a "hard drink", that is, one that contains alcohol. So, theoretically, one should not call it a "soft drink" unless alcoholic beverages are also being offered in the same setting.

I think in days of yore, soda pop also used to be called a "phosphate". Phosphoric acid being a major ingredient of many cola type soft drinks. Apparently in diners and even drug stores, one could plop down at the counter and ask for a custom made "strawberry phosphate" or some other such flavoring not often found in bottled or canned equivalents today.

Oddly, there isn't much sodium in a modern "soda". I suppose the name comes from the fizzing that a preparation like Alka-Seltzer would do, and Alka-Seltzer did indeed contain sodium as part of the bicarbonate. Just as well - the soda gives it a bitter taste that probably wouldn't be at all to the liking of today's tots.

Speaking of yore, does anybody still have a spritzer bottle? How does it work? Do you attach a little C02 cartridge to carbonate the otherwise ordinary water?

 

[westtexman]

Like Bob said, down here in my part of Texas we call EVERYTHING a "Coke" - regardless of the name brand.

I went to Des Moines, Iowa back in the summer on business and had to catch a flight out of Omaha. About an hour out of Des Moines I stopped for a "Coke" at a convenience store off of the Interstate. They had two types of cups in each size - a blue one that simply said "Soda" and a red one that said "Pop". Since they had the registers programmed to compute how many of each were sold, and then they would announce which one was ahead.

I asked the clerk who was winning, and she told me that they were dead even - though many people didn't even realize that they were "voting" by choosing a cup. As they didn't have one that said "Coke", I chose the "Soda" one because I like blue. LOL.

 

[launderess]

"Sodie Pop"

*LOL*

Only ever heard that one in Bugs Bunny cartoons.

In the British book "Kes" and later in the film version, the boy's mother gives him money for his dinner and "pop". One of the few darn words one could understand!

 

[mulls]

Pop

In most areas in the south,it is referred to as "a bottle of pop"
Tom

 

[sudsmaster]

I said "spritzer".

I meant, "seltzer".

And yes, after doing some more googling, you can buy a seltzer water maker and it runs on C02 cartridges.

I might get one so I can make my own lime sodas...

 

[ronhic]

Brisnat81 is correct

Well I agree with Brisnat81....it is softdrink here in Oz...everywhere and to the best of my knowledge, no exceptions....

My grandmother (they owned a country pub) answered this question years ago when my little sister after watching an entire day of TV and reading comics tried to be different and said something like...

'Nanna, may I have some 'pop' please?'
'No' was the reply..
'Nanna, what about a soda then?'

'Lynette, 'Pop' is your Grandfather and 'soda' used to go in the washing. If it is a 'soft drink' you would like, then ask for a 'soft drink'!'

That response corrected her (and me) for life....