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