> > > My name is Kevin, I'm 18, and a first year computer science major at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA. I grew up in Ohio though (it's 'pop', not 'soda' :) ).
> >
> > Yes it is! We in Canada call it "pop" as well, and I had always thought that ALL US citizens called it "soda"... Glad to see there's at least one state that isn't backwards. :-p
>
> The U.S. seems to be divided up into regions as far as this is concerned. In the midwest, we generally call it "pop". Up in the northeast and New England, they generally call it "soda". There also seem to be a few backwoods types in New Hampshire that call it "tonic". (My wife's grandmother offered me a tonic once.) I've heard that in the South, they just call everything "Cokes". Coca-Cola does not like this, and I've heard stories that they send undercover Coca-Cola copyright agents into restaurants that sell the competition's soft drinks, where they ask for a "Coke." If the personnel give them a Pepsi and don't make it clear that it is not in fact a "Coke," they'll get sued. Californians also seem to call everything "Cokes." At least, one of my roommates in college who was a Californian did.
>
> Gri"tosses back a cold Mountain Dew"shny

I was born and raised in California, and I say "soda." It's ever so much more descriptive than "pop." (Isn't that what you do to a balloon?)

I have heard the generic "Coke" thing, and I suppose it's really not any different than asking for a "Kleenex" or a "Q-tip," since those words are also brand names.

People sometimes interchange other sodas, too. One day I ordered a Dr Pepper in a drive-though, and they automatically gave me Mr. Pibb. I made them change it to Coke because I did not feel like having Mr. Pibb.

Ell"Pepsi and Dr Pepper are tied for first place in my book"myruh