Thursday, May 7, 2009

"The Great Pop vs. Soda Controversy"


The above map comes from The Pop vs. Soda Page at http://popvssoda.com:2998/. On their site, the map is interactive.

I was reminded of this "controversy" recently when a woman on another site said she could tell I was from the north because I called pop soda. If you look at the map above, though, you can see that just south of the Illinois border they call it pop. It's pop in Chicago, hardly a southern city. Anyway, in the real south, they call it coke. So go figure.

22 comments:

OrbsCorbs said...

Then there's the whole "bubbler" controversy:
"The term is still used in several regional dialects of the United States, originating in eastern Wisconsin and remaining well-known throughout the state. States in New England, and Australia also use the term. Oregon is also known to be quite familiar with the term, specifically in the Portland region where in the late 1800s Simon Benson installed 20 fountains which are now known in the Portland area as 'Benson Bubblers'."
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubbler

OrbsCorbs said...

Hey, wait a minute, how does someone order a Coke in the south without getting just some generic soda (or pop, or whatever)?

kkdither said...

You have to be careful when you travel.

I ordered soda on a plane to Canada once... got plain soda water. YUK!

I ordered a rum and "Coke" in the Bahamas and made the cute little waiter smile so big I thought his face would crack! ;>

SER said...

On the east coast they don’t have a couch they have a davenport.

So if you go to Jersey, you can become a davenport potato!

hale-bopp said...

When I was on St. Croix, the political lore was that the governor was an alcoholic and the lieutenant governor was involved in drug running. Their administration was nicknamed Rum and Coke (not a joke, unfortunately...Farelly and Hodge).

Beejay said...

I hear 'soda' down here. And when I was growing up outside of Green Bay, we called it 'pop.'

Now try 'bubbler.' That one was so hard for me when I moved down here! Water fountain.....well that's a lion with water spewing out of his mouth!

Beejay said...

If you order a coke down here, you get a coke...that map is goofy.

OKIE said...

Once I asked someone down here where the bubbler was and they just looked at me.
And yes, everyone uses the term Coke when ordering Coke or Pepsi. As a former Pepsi employee, restaurants are supposed to say "we have Pepsi" if they have Pepsi or the other way around.
And its pop down here, not soda.

Sassa said...

There was a taxi driver in New York that could almost tell the city you were from. They also say they can tell what part of the US you're from just by saying: Mary, merry and marry. They can tell if you are from Racine if you mention Cases instead of J I Case Co.

Sassa said...

Also there is that thing about brandy being a Wisconsin drink.

drewzepmeister said...

My mother is from Oregon. Out there, they speak a whole new language. Having visited there a few times, I quickly learned that soda and pop meant the same thing. Same goes for the bubbler/fountain thing.

Bar L. said...

Its always fun to hear the different terms people use for similar things. It drives me nuts when people call everything "Coke" because Pepsi is NOT Coke, no other brand of soft drink is Coke...only Coke is Coke.

This map says Californians call "it" soda but most people I know say "soft drinks", as in "can I get you something, water, a soft drink, beer?"

OrbsCorbs said...

When I was a kid, I think we called it soda pop. Later, just soda.

I looked up soda in WordWeb Pro and it said: "in New England they call sodas tonics."

Toad said...

HOLY COW, I don't believe it. I was just reading the posts on coffee drinking and noticed someone said "soda" I thought "That would make a GREAT blog" Well what do ya know. Here it is. I say SODA, and always have. I think they call it POP up here? I don't think they can pronounce soda.

Toad said...

Orbs: It's BUBBLER and they tore the darn thing out on the triangle of Taylor and Grange Ave's. They were the greatest things since before the "Hula Hoop" It was made out of concrete. I wish I had one.

Toad said...

SER: We had a "davenport" This is more fun than a trainwreck.

Why Not? said...

In Sweden it's call en läsk (pronounced lesk) or if you would like a coke it's called en cola.

Anonymous said...

I remember reading that when Coca Cola trademarked their name they just 'trademarked' Coca, which is why others use the cola name.

SER said...

Anonymous 7:59AM

Coca Cola use to be green and contain cocaine....wooohooo.

Damn government wrecks everything. Communist pigs, now beginning July 2010 you will not be allowed to smoke in taverns in Wisconsin. More personal rights lost!

Toad said...

SER: The smoking law has NOT been passed by BOTH Houses yet. PERHAPS someone will come to their senses?

I have said it before. I don't smoke anymore but, I REALLY don't like our FREEDOMS denied.

NOTE, I said freedom NOT RIGHT.

Beejay said...

I don't get the tavern thing...I do understand the restaurant bit. Here in Florida, if you are a bar (no food), smoking is permitted. We have a bar down here called "Bar and Girl." No food, but apparently one girl????

SER said...

Toad,

There also was a bubbler on the triangle of Rapids Dr and Yout St.