Why do Texans refer to all soda as "Coke"? (Dallas: area, top)

[catman]

"Coke" means Coca-Cola, but "coke" means a soft drink. At least that's how I look at it. It's better to be specific and say the actual name of the drink in question. My grandfather used to say "soda pop" as a generic name.

Reactionary: I can't imagine the generic name for soft drink being "tonic"! That's a new one on me.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

I don't know if this has been said before (I'm not going to read all 15 pages), but some people call a soft drink "coke" like Kleenex is used for a tissue or Xerox used for "to copy". Or is that regional also?

Without going back and going back over the 15 or so pages to see if has been posted before, here is a map of the United States indicating where different generic names for soft-drinks are most common. I don't think it is actually a "scientific" study since the responses were self-submitted via the internet. It does match my own experiences, but of course, that is just that.

http://popvssoda.com:2998/countystats/total-county.html

I don't know for sure, but from everything I have ever heard/read/experienced, is while "coke" definitely seems to be a regional thing, the use of Kleenex for tissue, Scotch Tape for clear tape, and Xerox for copying is more nation-wide. And especially with "Xerox" has an "age-dependent" factor to it! LOL

[harleytexas]

I've noticed that the more redneck/country a person is, they use coke more as a generic term. In the bigger cities it's what would you like to drink and then you order by brand.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by harleytexas

I've noticed that the more redneck/country a person is, they use coke more as a generic term. In the bigger cities it's what would you like to drink and then you order by brand.

In other words, where most yankees live...? *halo over head*

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by doctorjef

This comes as a complete surprise to me. I lived in Austin for 22 years, Ft Worth for a total of almost 7 years, in Beaumont for a year, Lubbock for 3 years, and various other places in the state when I was a younger kid. I always thought "Coke" meant a Coca-Cola and nothing else. No one that I knew confused it with Dr Pepper, Orange Crush, grape soda, Upper Ten, Seven Up or any other soft drink! This is either some kind of extremely regionalised thing, a social class thing, or a generational thing.

Really? I've lived in East Texas (born and grew up there until age 13), Dallas/Fort Worth (until I was 19 or 20, but family is still there), Central Texas (Austin and environs), and my husband was born and raised in San Antonio. I've always said "coke" when I meant "whatever kind of soft drink" (in fact, "Coke" was my first word), and so has just about everyone else I know.

[Cupcake77]

I will never understand why somone would say 'coke' when they just want a fizzy drink but I don't think it's a big deal.. Next time I go out I'll order a coke and see if they bring a coke or ask what kind first.





http://www.uselectionatlas.org/FORUM...?topic=24513.0

can't use the link to add a pic with Vista for some reason

[ETex2]

Fifth generation Texan here. When I was a young kid, the generic name was "soda water". I'm of the age when you went to the fillin' station to get a soda water and put your hands into the icy slush in the drink box outside the front door (or sometimes inside). Hopefully you would find something you wanted before you got frostbite.

By the time I was in high school they were all just cokes. Still are.

[EasilyAmused]

Hmmm. Only thing I hear is "Soda." And my family and most of my friends are "native."

[lifertexan]

I think it depends on the usage.I have lived in TX for 50 years,and while I have heard people use the word coke as a generic term in conversation with another person,ie,telling a friend you're sitting (setting?) with at a football game that you're going to get a coke,when the point is that you're going to the concession stand and not really what actual flavor you are going to get,I have NEVER in my life heard someone use the term in actually ordering a soda from a vendor.You tell a waitress in any restaraunt I've ever been in you want a coke,and she's bringing you a Coca Cola,unless they sell Pepsi,in which case she would say "is Pepsi OK?".I've never heard anyone actually order a Sprite or Dr Pepper "coke".

[MaryS80]

When I say Coke, I mean Coke only once or twice have I had a person at a restaurant ask me what kind of Coke.

I work in a grocery store and what baffled me was some out of towner asking for hot dog sauce. I asked he what she meant and she just replied hot dog sauce. I asked if she wanted ketchup, mustard, relish, and all she would say is hot dog sauce. Finally one of my coworkers figured out she wanted canned chili.