Things truly Wisconsin, or originally Wisconsin (Milwaukee, Madison: prices, grocer, floor)

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Kenozia

Well, that makes sense. Look at the actual map in the link. I'm from south eastern WI and it's all 'soda' in that region.

My father is from Milwaukee and he calls it pop. I call it pop and I live in Georgia. I think it might also have something to do with my father having relatives in Chicago.

[Kenozia]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

My father is from Milwaukee and he calls it pop. I call it pop and I live in Georgia. I think it might also have something to do with my father having relatives in Chicago.

Growing up in South East Wisconsin the only time I ever heard the term 'pop' was when you were talking to a very little kid. To me 'pop' is one step above calling everything a 'coke'. I perceive it as being kind of 'redneck'.

For the people here in my new area in Ohio, who all say pop, I tell them "can you think of any national media ad campaign or any national restaurant chain's menu where they ever refer to it as 'pop'?"

It's virtually always 'soda' because the few places they call it 'soda' are California and New York: the media hubs. The only instance on restaurant menus that they say 'pop' is to provide some "local flavor". The national media standard is 'soda'.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Kenozia

Growing up in South East Wisconsin the only time ever heard the term 'pop' was when you were talking to a very little kid. To me 'pop' is one step above calling everything a 'coke'. I perceive it as being kind of 'redneck'.

For the people here in my new area in Ohio, who all say pop, I tell them "can you think of any national media ad campaign where they ever refer to it as 'pop'?"

It's virtually always 'soda' because the few places they call it 'soda' are California and New York: the media hubs.

Actually, where I like, people call everything here "coke", even the Pepsi products. I don't. I kind of hate it actually. I got "pop" from my father. Alot of times when I say "pop", some people would chide "it's coke!".

Other things: My father likes sauerkraut, and I kind of adopted it. I think of this as something of Wisconsin because my father is the only person I know who ever ate it(besides some Germans I know). It comes from the German influences.

[naturesdreams]

I grew up in Indiana and called it "Pop"... moved to Wisconsin and decided to call it "soda pop" really confuses the heck out of people LOL... How about water fountain.. I asked is there a "water fountain" around here and got very confused faces looking back at me... OH... you mean the "bubbler"... what the heck??? I've been here 26 years so I believe I'm finally an official cheese head... just love it... go packers!!

[Kenozia]

Originally Posted by naturesdreams

I grew up in Indiana and called it "Pop"... moved to Wisconsin and decided to call it "soda pop" really confuses the heck out of people LOL... How about water fountain.. I asked is there a "water fountain" around here and got very confused faces looking back at me... OH... you mean the "bubbler"... what the heck??? I've been here 26 years so I believe I'm finally an official cheese head... just love it... go packers!!

There are so many phrases and words like that. Atleast once a month here in Ohio some total stranger will ask me "Oh, are you from Wisconsin? I could tell by the way you said _______"

There's a noticeable syntax, vocabulary and accent to Wisconsin. After growing up in WI, it took me 11 years out of the state and having people constantly point things out to me that I had the lightbulb moment and can now pick up on it. When I talk to my family and friends back in WI, they definitely have a very different syntax and accent than even here in the south eastern midwest. They'll deny it up and down. I'll point out a handful of things to them that they do admit to doing...but "it's no big deal". They still can't hear what they truly sound like to someone not from the upper midwest.

A classic sample of Wisconsin syntax is:

"N'so, we're gonna go by Dave's house. Wanna come with, er no?".

If you stress the 'o's with a Wisconsin accent there are 7 distinct aspects to that phrase that are ubiquitous to the Wisconsin area. Most of them have their roots in bad German-immigrant grammar/habits passed on from our relatives.

[MSPLove]

Originally Posted by naturesdreams

I grew up in Indiana and called it "Pop"... moved to Wisconsin and decided to call it "soda pop" really confuses the heck out of people LOL... How about water fountain.. I asked is there a "water fountain" around here and got very confused faces looking back at me... OH... you mean the "bubbler"... what the heck??? I've been here 26 years so I believe I'm finally an official cheese head... just love it... go packers!!

Again, I grew up in Northwestern Wisconsin, and only ever heard it called a "water fountain" growing up. Never "bubbler." I only heard term "bubbler" for the first time as an adult. Maybe the past five years.

Now on the other hand, "pop" and "soda" - I honestly I grew up hearing both phrases. Although "pop" was my primary way to say it, my head wouldn't have exactly spun, even as a kid, to hear someone order an "orange soda."

There's this video on YouTube where someone asked the question "What do you call it?" And a couple of the commenters said exactly the opposite of what one of the previous posters here said - they think SODA is the hillbilly way to say it. LOL! So... it's all perspective, I guess.

I view pop as a quick, catchy way to refer to it. Soda to my ears sounds different, but not weird. I began saying it more after I moved out of Wisconsin for a few years (I'm back now). But these days I find I'll say them both. Sometimes I say pop, sometimes soda.

[Kenozia]

In northwestern Wisconsin did you grow up hearing the phrase "come with" as in "I'm heading over to Bill's. Wanna come with?"

[MSPLove]

Originally Posted by Kenozia

In northwestern Wisconsin did you grow up hearing the phrase "come with" as in "I'm heading over to Bill's. Wanna come with?"

Yep.
I would say that now. lol

[ImaloneJill]

Originally Posted by Kenozia

In northwestern Wisconsin did you grow up hearing the phrase "come with" as in "I'm heading over to Bill's. Wanna come with?"

Is there something wrong with that terminology? Everyone I know says that.

[Kenozia]

Originally Posted by ImaloneJill

Is there something wrong with that terminology? Everyone I know says that.

Using 'with' as a preposition was a German mistranslation that the concentrated number of German immigrants to the northern midwest and particularly Wisconsin embedded into the local dialect.

Phrases like "Wanna come with?" 'Take it with." "You gonna go with?" are very awkward/annoying to outsiders. You can't end a sentence with 'with'.

With who? With what?

And when you group it with the common Wisconsin phrase 'er no?' (the Wisconsin accent changing 'or no?' to a strong 'err' sound) to make the phrase "Wanna come with, er no?" or "Wanna come with, er not?" those phrases are very foreign and hard to process to a larger portion of the US.

After outsiders from across the country pointed that out to me when I've said it, I've then asked dozens of people from the Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, WV, Kentucky, Florida, Colorado and Washington areas in the last 11 years. None of them found that to be used in their areas growing up, and that it was very weird to hear and process.

Another one similar to that is how northern Midwesterners say they're going 'by' somebody's house instead of 'to' like most of the nation would say. It's another lasting German imprint as it came from "Bei dem haus".