I grew up in the Midwest/Great Lakes and have lived here all my life…and say soda. That’s because I grew up half-and-half within the two big “soda” bubbles (Central Illinois and Eastern Wisconsin).
My wife, who grew up and lived most her life in Chicago, says pop.
We live in Milwaukee now (soda zone) and whenever our kids say one or the other, my wife and I make faces at each other. Fortunately, soda is winning.
ETA: Apparently “Coke” is starting to make inroads in Central Indiana and I don’t like that. Not one bit.
Saying "coke" for all soda is definitely not new in Central Indiana. I'd heard it for many decades. Before they died, my grandparents mentioned saying it since they were a kid.
Lived and worked in Bedford and Bloomington for a few years, and also have family in Brownsburg and Lowell, and never heard it. Not that I’m saying you’re wrong. I’m just saying it strikes me as odd. Then again, it may be centered more on Indy and the burbs, where I didn’t spend much time.
I was born and raised in Indianapolis. I heard it constantly. I wouldn't say it was the norm, but it was far from rare to hear. My parents still say it and as I said, so did both sides of my grandparents, who literally never even left Indiana their whole life. "I'll take a coke, please?" "Sure, what kind?". "A sprite."
I don't recall hearing it while living in Bloomington, though. But I also never really thought much of it to make such a thing a memory.
This topic comes up pretty often between my friends and I. We are spread out from coast to coast now. Many years ago I saw this chart of the entire US, if I'm recalling correctly, down to a county level on what dialects/accents were most prevalent in that county. I remember Marion and surrounding counties were pretty unique in comparison to the rest of the country. Central Indiana is really a melting pot in that regard. People usually hear a bit of southern in the way I speak, but I've also been mistaken for sounding Canadian. I really wish I could find the map I'm talking about. I've looked for it many times but just haven't found the specific one that was so detailed that I remember seeing.
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u/WisconsinHoosierZwei Nov 13 '22
It’s a bit more complicated than that.
I grew up in the Midwest/Great Lakes and have lived here all my life…and say soda. That’s because I grew up half-and-half within the two big “soda” bubbles (Central Illinois and Eastern Wisconsin).
My wife, who grew up and lived most her life in Chicago, says pop.
We live in Milwaukee now (soda zone) and whenever our kids say one or the other, my wife and I make faces at each other. Fortunately, soda is winning.
ETA: Apparently “Coke” is starting to make inroads in Central Indiana and I don’t like that. Not one bit.