Red State/Blue State
August 31, 2008
The Pop Vs Soda Map
Is there some hidden message in our ideas about Red state/Blue state politics that the media analysts are missing? Whether you ask for “soda” or “pop” to quench your thirst tells a lot about your regional linguistics, according to an article published last year in the “Isthmus” a Madison, Wisconsin weekly newspaper. Written by a linguistics and philology PHD from University of Madison- Wisconsin, Luanne von Schneidemesser, who is also an editor for the Dictionary of American Regional English, the study reveals the complicated relationships involved in quenching your thirst.
• pop: dominates the Northwest, Great Plains and Midwest. The world ‘pop’ was introduced by Robert Southey, the British Poet Laureate (1774-1843), to whom we also owe the word ‘autobiography’, among others. In 1812, he wrote: A new manufactory of a nectar, between soda-water and ginger-beer, and called pop, because ‘pop goes the cork’ when it is drawn. Even though it was introduced by a Poet Laureate, the term ‘pop’ is considered unsophisticated by some, because it is onomatopaeic.
• soda: prevalent in the Northeast, greater Miami, the area in Missouri and Illinois surrounding St Louis and parts of northern California. ‘Soda’ derives from ‘soda-water’ (also called club soda, carbonated or sparkling water or seltzer). It’s produced by dissolving carbon dioxide gas in plain water, a procedure developed by Joseph Priestly in the latter half of the 18th century.
I remember that in Boston, working as a bartender in the 80’s, I had to be careful when people ordered a “tonic”, a term used generically for any bubbley drink, not to be confused with my favorite bubbley- champagne thank you! And here in Los Angeles, we order a soda, because pop is so obviously a fashion reference and not a soft drink!
And here is a sobering thought: Americans drink, on average 43 gallons of soft drinks every year! And here is a related “scary thought“, thanks to artist Chris Jordan’s, “Can Suerat”.
Thanks to Strange maps for this post info- that is why it is on my blogroll!
