I am always facinated by our differences in speech! Am off to USA on holiday in less than two weeks (not that I'm counting - I can't wait) and have one (hopefully) last silly question to ask you. In the UK, if we want a cola, we ask for a 'coke'. Now, when I have been to the US before this has been met with a raised eyebrow and a giggle or two!

I DO know why, it's short for 'cocaine', which of course it is in the UK as well, but we still call a cola 'coke' regardless!

However, to stop any further derision, what do I ask for when thirsty - is it SODA, folks? or pop? or just cola? Just a silly (but important to me!) question to brighten your day ;O)

The answer depends on where in the US you will be. It is "pop" in the midwest, "soda" on the east coast, the southerners may have another word for it. Having said that, to the best of my knowledge everyone uses the word "coke" when they want a cola, so I don't know where you got the laughs, maybe it's your accent, not the word....

Pop or soda depends on which part of the country your in. Coke or any other brand name)is also perfectly acceptable

O English One, I'm married to an English one, and have been for nigh unto 40 years. I can even speak a fair amount of bloke...

I would suspect that any giggle you may have met with is due to the locale where you're asking, or something about the accent.

Soda and pop do seem to be colloquialisms. However, I'm in border country (PA) and I'm not sure which is which. I believe soda is favored amongst us Northerners, and pop is the preferred version in the south. However, we've used Coke (as a term for soda) everywhere without any problems.

You will often get comment in restaurants because Coke is supposed to refer strictly to Coca-Cola. If the establishment only serves Pepsi, they will generally ask "is Pepsi OK?"

Fortunately, we don't have to deal with lemon barley water, Vimto and other such arcane issues here.

Sadly, though, it's been almost longer than I can remember when I had a nice pint of light from a good local brewery. Aaahhh, sweet memory of youth....

Yes, it's "soda" in some places, "pop" in others, but in Massachusetts, it is "tonic". Stick with Coke, it will be understood everywhere.

"I'll have a Coke." I've used it everywhere and the only problem I've ever had is someone saying "Is Pepsi ok?"

Hotdogz, To further complicate this discussion, it isn't tonic in *all* of Massachusetts. I grew up in the Berkshires and never heard of tonic until I got to UMass and for the first time mingled with Bostonians. It was always just soda, (or more specifically, coke), to us.

One of our favorite treats on a hot summer day when growing up was an "ice cream soda": vanilla ice cream in some sort of cola drink. When I asked for that after moving to the south, I was given ice cream floating in tonic water. YUCK!

I always ask for Coke

..Maybe it IS due to my 'Thames Estuary' (bit cockney!) accent which raises the laughs! (probably reminds folks of Michael Caine or something). I'm off to Memphis and NOLA, so maybe sticking to 'coke' is the best answer (or pop!)
BTW, if you asked for soda here, you would probably end up with a fizzy water mixer!

In parts of the South, the word "coke" is used as the equivalent of "soda." As in, "I'll have a coke." "What kind of coke do you want?" "Ginger ale."

Here in Boston, the use of "tonic" as a generic term for soda is diminishing, as the population gets diluted with immigrants from the lands of "soda" and "pop."

The way I understand it, "cola" "pop" and "soda" are generic. It can mean 7-Up, Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, etc. For example, "Would you like a soda?"

To name a specific brand of soda, you would answer the above question - "Yes, I'd like a Coke (as in Coca-Cola)(or 7 Up, Dr. Pepper, etc.) please."

Definitely ask for Coke in NOLA or Memphis. It stands for both the generic cola and for the brand name Coca-Cola, and sometimes (obscurely) for any kind of carbonated beverage. The waiter/server may ask you what kind of Coke you want (i.e. Diet, Cherry, Sprite, orange, etc). Usually, though, Coke means just plain cola.

have a great time down there! I miss the South every day--have been in New England for two years now...

Maybe the safe bet is to request a "soft drink"? While slightly stilted, I assume it would be understood anywhere in the county.

I live in the South, near TN, and you should ask for a coke when you are at someone's house or in general conversation. Typically though, if you ask for a coke in a restaurant, they will ask regualr or diet? So, having said that, if you really want a Sprite, ask for a Sprite in the restaurant.

In SC we say co-cola as in "I'll have a co-cola". That is usually followed by "What flavor?"

The term 'drink' is also used for everything and doesn't stand for an alcoholic beverage.

Also, don't refer to BBQ as a grill. It is a food only. If you say you are BBQing, that usually means you are cooking a hog. To Grill Out means you are cooking on a grill.

I never say 'soda'. I always say 'an extra dry martini with three olives'.

In N.C. We also say co-cola, and all rules mentioned by GoTravel apply EXCEPT when wanting iced tea which is said "I'll have a tea" or "sweetea" (kind of all one word).

If you ask for tea in the South, it WILL be sweet tea unless you specify unsweetened, in which case the server may look at you in disgust.

If you're down this way, you should be sure to try Cheerwine, which is a kind of red sticky drink that leaves your tongue an alarming shade of blood red.

...I love my cups of tea. When I am away from home,I do miss my cups of 'typhoo' tea too. (Wow, I'll try saying that after a few hurricanes cocktails! ;O) ) Tea doesn't seem to be the same strength in the US.

Just wanted to point out that while generelly the Midwesterners say POP, some areas say SODA. I live in Wisconsin and went to a state univ. with lots of other Wisconsinites as well as Minnesotans. Most said POP but a few, from East Central Wisconsin especially, called it SODA. In fact I actually saw one girl reading the pizza parlor special listed on their chalkboard and although it read "pitcher of pop" she said it outloud as "pitcher of soda." They also call cooking on the grill a "fryout" and I've never heard that anywhere else!

I'm sure it's true of everywhere in the world but you don't have to go far in this country to find totally different colloquialisms. I always find it kind of fun. Perhaps that might be partly why they giggled.

Then we can try sack, poke, bag or how about creek or crick for a small stream or different local names for fish, ducks,etc?

One of the many neat things to learn as one travels about this great county-world.