Slang words have dominated our language for many years and different terms for the same beverage are just as prevalent.
Everybody has a different name for what they consume. Soft drink names run from the usual “coke,” “soda” and “pop” to the unusual “carbev,” “liquid crack,” “sodie,” “cold drink” and the ever questionable “polly pop” and “belly washer.” These terms have come from across the United States, but what does it mean to you here in Louisiana?
Well my friends, the comments are in, the votes have been tallied and the answer is ready to be given. A vast majority of poll respondents from every parish in the state, yes all 64, agree that the term “coke” can be used to classify any carbonated soft drink, not just the one in the highly recognizable red can. The second highest vote was for the term “soda.”
Sorry to all you “pop” fans, but it is just not common in the South to freely use that term. Surprisingly, East Baton Rouge Parish and Lafourche Parish residents use this term the most. However, if you moved to the Minnesota area or to the northwest coast, such as Oregon or Washington, then you would fit in perfectly. Also, the Carolina region uses the term “pop,” if you care for that area more. However, be wary of the Northeast coastal region from Maryland to New York City, for they follow strict guidelines when using the term “soda.”
Now don’t get me wrong, you can always be safe by directly using the specific name of the beverage given by the bottling company, but where is the fun in that? It is our use of regional dialects that makes us who we are. If we cooked like everybody else in the country, what would we be famous for? Who knows, there is the possibility that our uniqueness is based entirely on our cuisine. I doubt that, but there are some who may believe this – those poor, unfortunate souls. I have come to believe – no, after three years, I have come to KNOW that it is everything about us that makes us who we are, especially our dialects.
As for me, I will always have a love for soda, not “coke” or pop, but soda. Maybe over time, after I graduate, move to North Carolina and live there for a while, I will adopt the term “pop,” but being born and raised in the South, I will have an understanding that “coke” can mean either Coca-Cola, Rite Cola, Sam’s Choice, or Sprite, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Dr Pepper and other flavor; root beer to orange to grape.