We Call It 'Carbonated Sugar Water'

What do they call it in your neck of the woods? Visit this non-scientifically-derived interactive map to find out which regions of the U.S. use the terms soda, pop, or coke in reference to soft drinks (pop wins the majority by a narrow margin). via wohba

But that's not the disturbing part... oh no. Delve a bit further to find out what the non-conformist Americans are calling cavity fertilizer in lieu of the 3 most popular answers. "Sodie," "tarzan slam," "drank," "large farva," and "tonic" appear to be popular.

If you're feeling nostalgia for old coke, new coke, tab, or crystal pepsi at this point, take a listen to this fantastic episode (real audio) of WFMU's Aircheck program, featuring soft drink jingles of the 1960s.

Or, listen to the "best soda song ever" according to Mike Lupica: Negativland's "Drink It Up" (real audio).

Comments

[protogenes]

sheesh, everyone knows it's called a soft drink.

[Krys O.]

I think that they now call it a major cause of obesity in this country.

[efd]

this reminded me a lot of the North American Dialect Survey that I heard about from Dave Mandl a couple of years ago (and which is listed at the bottom of the popvssoda page).

Get answers to such burning questions as "Do you use "spigot" or "spicket" to refer to a faucet or tap that water comes out of?" and "What do you call the long sandwich that contains cold cuts, lettuce, and so on?" and dozens more by clicking here

[Chardman]

Well, owing to years of listening to The Firesign Theater, I call it sodium pop.
I'd tell you exactly where and when the references originates, but that'd out me as a fanboy doofus.

[Listener Paul]

I live where it's all coke, and there's something mildly subversive about going to a Kentucky Fried Chicken (which is owned by Pepsi) and ordering a coke. In just about any other place around here they'd say what kind, but at KFC, I guess some corporate dude makes them say "We don't have coke, we have Pepsi."

[fatty jubbo]

I used to serve fucking soda. evryone here says "POP' but more like "PAP"...I would shoot back "What sort of Soda you want?"

[g58]

In Quebec, it's called "boisson gaseuse". Also unique to North America are the Coke bottles currently sold in Quebec - they feature various labels reproduced from around the the Coca Cola world. Tacky, or "quétaine" as they say, but perhaps of interest to this linguistic endeavour.

[Chris Smith]

Coming from Australia, where, I presume, we have a long history of hard drinking, its called 'soft drink'. Most look down on the Americanisation 'pop', which, of course, refers to one's father or to a particular style of music. Soda water is something we mix with alcohol, as in a vodka, lime and soda. Coke is either that ubiquitous black fizzy stuff or something you may vacuum up with your nose.

[vockins]

Anyone consuming "drank" will soon find out about "lean" after consumption, and it ain't a caffiene buzz.

[Sgt. Belcher]

You better lay off the junk food, or I'll be forced to turn you in!!

[rozalynne williams]

anybody have any idea at all where tarzan slam or large farva came from?