Date:  Mon, 30 Jan 1995 19:06:30 -0500

From:  "Cathy C. Bodin" <cbodin[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MSMARY.EDU>

Subject: Re: "What kind of coke do you want?"



Re: Ellen's "what kind of coke do you want?" I was wondering if anyone

has established the isogloss on "coke"(/other generics)/"soda?"

    My students tell me that Pittsburg uses the type "what kind of

coke do you want?" In Louisiana, outside the metropolitan areas (New

Orleans, Baton Rouge), you say, "do you want a coke OR an orange OR a

grape drink OR a sprite," etc. where my Baton Rouge friends ask if you

want a soda. "Soda" was a black, i.e. Afro-American, variant where/when

I grew up; if it was not your group, you didn't use their variant.

    Can anyone establish the geographical coordinates here?--CBodin