Date: Sat, 19 Oct 1996 00:41:28 +1608

From: "Donald M. Lance" engdl[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]SHOWME.MISSOURI.EDU

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



Where

in NY state is the boundary between "pop" and "soda"?



The soda/pop isogloss has been discussed on this list before, with similar

sketchiness. Ever since I tabulated some Missouri data in the mid-1970s

and found a north-south isogloss that follows US Hwy 63 fairly closely,

I've been interested in what others have found (but unfortunately haven't

bothered to keep records of anecdotal [or "scientific"] stuff I've come

across. They drink pop on Kansas City and soda in St Louis. It seems to

me that there are pockets of usage rather than some sort of national

division; maybe not even systematic regional divisions. I understand

there's a soda/pop isogloss in Michigan -- like Missouri, with pop being

west of soda, and the latter being urban in flavor. Maybe in Minnesota or

Wisconsin too.