Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 10:51:52 -0400

From: "Dale F.Coye" CoyeCFAT[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM

Subject: Re: Student Q: pop/soda/coke/cola



Jack Chambers writes about his survey:



They were asked,

"What do you call a carbonated soft drink?" The wording of the

question was intended to discourage their use of "soft drink" as an

answer, since it seems like the kind of bloodless generic we might use

to avoid the more homely words we really use. In fact, 2% answered

"soft drink"--all were Cdn rather than Amn. Otherwise, the responses

came out like this:



I'm interested in your survey. How did you pick informants and administer the

survey instrument? I also think you probably should not assume that "soft

drink" covers up the more homely word they really use. Don't you think

that's prejudicial to your results? I for one say soft drink, and a survey I

conducted found it was the most favored choice around Ottawa and Montreal for

18 year olds.



There is a boundary somewhere west of Buffalo, New York where "pop" ends

in favor of soda.



Dale Coye

Princeton, NJ