Q: Why do people in Wisconsin say "soda" while people in other parts of the country say "pop"?

A: Interestingly, this is the most frequent question put to staff at UW-Madison's Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE), says senior scientist Luanne von Schneidemesser.

Historically, "soda" was used heavily in the northeastern part of the U.S., along with southern Illinois and eastern Missouri, von Schneidemesser says, while "pop" usage was heaviest in the northern part of the country, from upstate New York and western Pennsylvania on to the West Coast.

"Actually, both terms are used for this carbonated beverage by people in Wisconsin," she says. "In eastern Wisconsin, especially southeastern Wisconsin, people may say soda, while in large parts of the rest of the state pop is the more common term."

The term "soda" built on the naturally effervescent "soda water"or "mineral water," which was already around in the 1820s. The people in the regions using the term "soda" picked up on this aspect of the drink.

"Pop" may have come from the sound of the cork or bottle cap being removed from a bottle.

For more, check out the cool interactive map on the topic: www.popvssoda.com.

- Produced in cooperation with University Communications

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