Date: Tue, 5 Dec 1995 10:08:06 -0700
From: Laurie M Bowman bowman[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]U.ARIZONA.EDU
Subject: Re: On Wisconsin!
Continuing with the cross-cultural misunderstandings...
I'm originally from the St. Louis, MO area (actually, Southern Illinois,
but close enough) (and incidentally, it's NOT St. Looie to St.
Louisans!). Back there we say "soda" for the carbonated beverage. Up in
Chicago it's a "pop". Then I came out to Tucson. I was on campus and I
went up to one of those traveling deli carts to buy something to drink.
On the sign it said: Can of pop -- 50 cents. Soda -- 75 cents. I asked
the guy what the difference was between "pop" and "soda" and he looked at
me like I'd lost my mind. So what is the difference? I'm assuming that
if the beverage comes in a can or bottle, it's a pop, but if it comes
out of a fountain, it's a soda??? Or was this just a fluke? I haven't
lived here long enough to figure it out yet. I guess this is a pretty
recherche subject, but I've always been confused
about this. Incidentally, when New Englanders order a soda, don't they
expect ice cream to come in it? (This is what I've been told, anyway.)
Anyone have a fairly simple analysis of this phenomenon?
Laurie Bowman
Dept. of Linguistics
University of Arizona, Tucson
bowman[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]aruba.ccit.arizona.edu