Pop, Soda or Coke?

Pop, Soda or Coke?
6 posted on July 6, 2009
POSTED IN: Blog Posts, Culture

[photo: dixieroadrash]

The difference between cultures has always fascinated me and nowhere is that cultural difference more evident in our country than in something as simple as what we call our country’s most popular beverage.

The regional term used by people when describing a carbonated soft drink in the Northern or Midwestern U.S.  “pop”, while the Northeastern States and West Coast refer to it as “soda”. In the Southern United States, it is commonly called “Coke” regardless of brand. Some southerners even refer to soft drinks as “dope” while people around the world have even stranger names.

The extreme differences we see across our country over something as simple as what we call our soft drinks is a reminder that cultural differences play a huge role in how we communicate. As church leaders, it is extremely important that we become students of culture. We must learn what specific cultural traits in our communities can enhance or detract from the message we’re communicating. Paul illustrated the importance of this in his culturally targeted message on Mars Hill in Acts 17.

Just for fun, let’s see how culturally diverse this blog is. What do YOU call your soft drink? I grew up in Michigan (home of Vernors, America’s oldest soft drink) so I’m a “pop” guy myself. You?

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This entry was posted on Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 10:04 am and is filed under Blog Posts, Culture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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  1. Visit My Website

    July 6, 2009

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    1 Toby said:

    For the record, Soda is that white stuff ya leave in the fridge, aka ice box, to prevents smells.
    Yeah, that’s Indiana home grown right there :-) .

    Toby’s last blog post..I Have an Idea and Need Your Help



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    2 Curtis Honeycutt said:

    I come from a solid “red” county…I’m a Coke guy (although I would never drink Coke…everyone knows Dr. Pepper is Jesus’ favorite drink).

    I’m surprised to see that central Indiana calls carbonated beverages “Coke” as well…maybe I brought it with me from Oklahoma.

    Also, I wouldn’t have pegged northern Alaska as “soda” country…I heard they call it “whale foam”…not exactly sure what that means.

    Curtis Honeycutt’s last blog post..New Derek Webb Song! Wow!



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    3 Curtis Honeycutt said:

    The guy who made the map is from Oklahoma! Awesome…you’d think they’d have better things to do at East Central.

    They don’t.

    Curtis Honeycutt’s last blog post..New Derek Webb Song! Wow!



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    4 Karen said:

    I’m from Michigan, and recently switched from “pop” to “soda”. Not exactly sure why. Just trying to stir things up I guess.

    Karen’s last blog post..Bittersweet Freedom



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    5 Shellie (baylormum) said:

    I grew up saying “pop” but at 19 moved to MS with family & went to Ole Miss. When you ask for “pop” people stare at you funny! So for 30+ years of my life it’s “coke”. I’m actually on #2 of the morning since the smell of coffee makes me want to hurl! Saw the map recently & thought it was amusing. +

    Shellie (baylormum)’s last blog post..Stats Suck Sunday



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    6 Brook Sarver said:

    Definitely “pop” in our coolers and fridge. I spent a summer in upstate New York in college and you’d be amazed at how defensive some N.Easterners about their beverage names!

    Brook Sarver’s last blog post..thai food and friends



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    7 Amy said:

    everything is coke down here in the deep south although i’ve seen a trend toward soda since the 90s.

    Amy’s last blog post..Stampin’ Up Cards



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    8 bill (cycleguy) said:

    I call mine Diet Dr. Pepper because that is all I drink in the carbonated beverage style. how’s that for messing up the poll? But I would call it “pop” otherwise. Grew up in PA. and been in Ohio and Indiana as a pastor.

    bill (cycleguy)’s last blog post..You Gotta See This!



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    9 stephen lechner said:

    I’m from a “Coke” state and am a loyal Coke guy. However, I call generic carbonated beverages, “soda.”



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    10 mpt said:

    Soda. I’m from Maryland, which might be the only place on earth where picnicking with an old man who has crabs is a good thing.

    mpt’s last blog post..pray for kate mcrae



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    11 Michael D said:

    Haven’t lived around the country, I have taken to calling it “soda pop.” Less funny looks that way.



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    12 Nick said:

    That map is interesting.
    Everything is Coke here, that and I hate Pepsi. I guess the mad is pretty accurate!

    Nick’s last blog post..10 Reasons You Won’t Fit At New Passion (Part 1)



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    13 Juli Jarvis said:

    I grew up in Missoui and I’ve always called it “pop,” but here’s a new one for you — my husband calls them “cold drinks.” Don’t ask me why. He drinks nothing but Coke.

    Juli Jarvis’s last blog post..Comedy of Delays



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    14 Pokinatcha said:

    Soda here.

    Pokinatcha’s last blog post..Fears



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    July 7, 2009

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    15 Lynse Leanne said:

    ok….i am Canadian so we go with Pop, but i live in the South right now so it is Coke.



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    16 Steven said:

    Most definately Coke.

    Pespsi is Coke, Dr. Pepper is Coke, Sprite is Coke.

    Always has been..always will be.

    Although I am thinking walking around Memphis asking for a “pop” might be fun.



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    17 bryan said:

    Pop Here.

    bryan’s last blog post..Summer ‘09 in Photos 31/87 “Grilling”



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    18 Gary Hill said:

    I call it coke. When I was a little boy in Alabama we called everything “coke”. You just needed to say what flavor you wanted (it was also only a nickle).



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    19 Kassie said:

    Its definitely pop where I come from. But I adapted to saying “soda” when we lived in New Hampshire (or just saying the exact name of the beverage I wanted.) But since moving back to the Midwest, it was very easy to revert back to calling it pop again. :)



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    20 David said:

    And in Australia, we call them soft drinks.

    Yep.

    David’s last blog post..No Change There Then…



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    21 brandiandboys said:

    growing up everything was “coke”. as a mom i learned very quickly to be specific and let me kids know the difference between coke and sprite!!!

    brandiandboys’s last blog post..Where’s Your Niche?



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    22 themisfit said:

    Coke is Coke and should not refer to anything else, EVER!

    themisfit’s last blog post..Downgrade iPhone OS 3.0 to 2.2.1 Then Restore to Jailbroken 3.0



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    July 8, 2009

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    23 Lori Wilhite said:

    I’m a Texas girl so call them all cokes. But now I live in Vegas where they incorrectly call it soda, and it is rubbing of on my kids … very sad.

    Lori Wilhite’s last blog post..Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: My Review



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    24 April said:

    Nowadays I call it soda.

    But I called it pop as a kid. I remember consciously making a decision to call it soda because I thought it sounded more “grown-up.” It’s interesting to look at that map. I grew up in Lincoln County in Wisconsin- it’s the dark blue one near the top, in the center, next to a bunch yellow ones. I wonder why that area is so varied?

    April’s last blog post..Off to Camp!



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    25 Henry said:

    I’m from England, we usually just call then by names. Dr Pepper we call Dr Pepper, but weirdly some of us call Pepsi – Coke and Coke – Pepsi, Likely because they taste very similar.

    Henry’s last blog post..Henry Brown (July 2009)



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    26 Dave Anderson said:

    In Alabama:
    Q: You want a coke?
    A: yes
    Q: what kind?
    A: mountain dew

    Dave Anderson’s last blog post..I am second



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