Pop or Soda??

Question

I went to New Jersey to visit relatives. And we went out for lunch. The waitress asked us what we wanted to drink. I said "What kind of pop do you have?" and she's like "huh?" And I said "Do you have pop?" And she said "OHHHHHHHH you must be from Buffalo!" and I said "Yeah" And she said "Well here in New Jersey we call soft drinks soda."
So In different parts of the USA people use different words to mean soft drinks? Is it only Buffalo who says pop? And others say soda? I'm confused!
When you answer my question along with your answer tell my what you call soft drinks and where you are from.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Carbonated beverages have different "handles" worldwide. In much of Europe they call them "fizzy drinks" or "bubbly". "Pop" is generally a US midwest thing (short for soda-pop). The term soda The confusing thing is that in the south its often called "coke". This creates some problems when southerners visit the north, because they'll order a coke, then the waitress will bring them... coca-cola, and they'll wonder why they weren't asked what KIND of coke (pop/soda) they wanted. Northerners tend to stare blankly when offered "coke" by southerners as well. New Englanders may call it "tonic" and not just be refering to tonic water that you put in tonic & gin (tonic water has Iodine in it). Some folks call it all "cola", although cola refers specifically to beverages that use the cola bean in their creation.

The term "soda" dates back to the 15th century and refers to a plant, a type of saltwort, with a high sodium carbonate content. It was used to create fizzy drinks. It wasn't until the 19th century (with major advances in chemistry) that the "fizziness" created was understood to be carbon dioxide, by which time "soda water" treatment was already a regular staple of medical use. This is why soda fountains were typically found in town drugstores. The term "soda pop" actually predates the 20th century as well, and the regional differences can be chalked up to whether people abbreviated the first or last part of this name.

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Saltwart and glasswort have a high content of sodium carbonate and were used to create fizzy drinks (the dissolution of the sodium carbonate relases carbon dioxide gas, hence the tiny bubbles). Modern carbonation generally uses dilute solutions of carbonic acid to achieve the same effect. It should be noted that the head on beer is also carbon dioxide bubbles, but they are produced by fermentation instead of through direct carbonation. Interestingly, that means true root beer is a type of beer, but most of what sells as root beer is really a type of soda pop.

p.s.
My grandfather calls all carbonated beverages "burpsy-cola". We're both from Minnesota, but I usually say "pop".

Answer 2

Soda

Answer 3

Ohkay well I am from Minnesota and when I went down to the Bahamas I asked my waitress the same exact thing!! She was like, "Oh you guys must be from Michigan or Minnesota we usually say soda not pop." I say pop most of the time i never really say soda.

I know exactly how you feel!!

Answer 4

I went to school in Indiana where soft drinks are called pop. I am orginally from NJ where we call it soda.

Answer 5

I'm southern I say soda or coke , but I thought In new jersey they said pop lol

Answer 6

Yeah it's a regional thing.

We call it 'soda' in California. I live in Phoenix now, where a lot people are from someplace else, but 'soda' is the most common out here.

Answer 7

I say Soda -wisconsin-
lots of places call it pop. I wonder why it is that we have different names for the same things... I wished i called it pop that just sounds cooler then soda.

Answer 8

well here in Wisconsin we say both soda and pop. for example, if you go to a grocery store and ask for either soda or pop they will know that you are refering to soft drinks.

Answer 9

I say pop i live in Indiana but when i lived in TX it was called Soda and people looked at me weired lol

Answer 10

I agree, it is a regional thing. Being from Minnesota, ya know, pop is the way to go. I now live in Kansas and it is "coke" or soda.