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12 September 2008

And now for something non-political

A fun controversy:

What generic term do you use to describe a drink such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Pepsi, 7-Up, etc.?

You can submit your choice at this site. There is a map of the results submitted. And, at Strange Maps you can see a national map by county based on use of the terms Soda, Pop, or Coke.

Where I live, the majority of people say 'Coke'. I find this humorous; at my office, by majority opinion, Pepsi brand products are stocked in the drink fridge. Beer, of course, would have been the first choice, but that was vetoed for obvious reasons.

What do I say? My dad was from Chicago; my mom from Philly. I think it was a compromise: Soda-Pop. Not Soda. Not Pop. But Soda-Pop.

Another common word usage in my neck of the woods that makes people from elsewhere laugh: there isn't such a thing as a 'potluck' dinner; it's a pitch-in!

I can't explain it for the same reasons I can't explain why the locals pronounce the word wash as if it is wahrsh.

3 comments:

Kar said...

I work hard to leave the "r" out of "wash" and "watch," and to include it in "orange." I blame my mother, of course. :)

Rebecca H. said...

I grew up saying pop (in western NY state) but switched to soda when I went to college (in the Chicago area) -- it felt like it was a part of growing up and becoming my own person.

Anonymous said...

Ah..."Bad for you?" "Coin cleaners"?

:)