If it's homemade, can I still call it a coke?

[Nomofett]

There really seems to be some difficulty here in understanding that, where the OP is from (and actually in quite a few parts of the country, just read through the thread), "coke" is the ubiquitous term for soda. So assuming he wants to share it with his friends and neighbors, if he offers them a "homemade coke," they will just ask "what kind?", the same as if he said "I have homemade soda." It may sound weird to your ears, but like OP said, because of the vernacular that he's accustomed to, "soda" sounds weird to him. (As would "pop," no doubt). In the case of this regional terminology, "coke"="soda," and the specificity follows.

It might be beneficial to remember that "precision in language" is in part dependent on the lexicon of the person(s) participating in the communication.

True, but in his post he said he grew up in a different area than he's living in now.

If he was in his native area and he knew that everyone called it a Coke then he wouldn't have the question. However, he is now living in a new area where calling it a Coke would be [rightfully IMO ] weird to his neighbors ears. They would be expecting something they wouldn't be getting.

If if were him I would have fun with the difference and maybe call it something like "Southern Coke" as the name with "Creme Soda" on the label, thus giving a of to his roots of what he wants to call it naturally but also letting people know it's not actually a Coke.

 

[mongoose33]

If if were him I would have fun with the difference and maybe call it something like "Southern Coke" as the name with "Creme Soda" on the label, thus giving a of to his roots of what he wants to call it naturally but also letting people know it's not actually a Coke.

Meh. He should simply name it "Tastes Like Chicken."

 

[FloppyKnockers]

'Pop' is just such a funny word referring to soda. Although its use is regional I've never heard, in any part of the country, someone order a rum and pop. I vote for soda, coke, or soft drink.

 

[JordanKnudson]

True, but in his post he said he grew up in a different area than he's living in now.

If he was in his native area and he knew that everyone called it a Coke then he wouldn't have the question. However, he is now living in a new area where calling it a Coke would be [rightfully IMO ] weird to his neighbors ears. They would be expecting something they wouldn't be getting.

Oh, good point! I hadn't even noticed that he is in a different location now.

Maybe he can just call it New New Coke

 

[Fizzycist]

Thank you all for the participation, both sarcastic and serious!

It's a good point that I'm living in an area where most such beverages are called soda rather than coke. What further complicates the issue is that when I say coke I'm often, but not always, referring to Coca-Cola, because I love it so. So deciphering when I'm going to get a coke or when I'd like a Coke is even more difficult!

 

[Nomofett]

'Pop' is just such a funny word referring to soda. Although its use is regional I've never heard, in any part of the country, someone order a rum and pop. I vote for soda, coke, or soft drink.

Yeah, that's because you only use Coke/Pepsi flavored pop. It makes sense to call that Coke, because that's like the bandaid thing.

 

[Stillraining]

I'v never heard of Rum and Soda either ..so If I'm in your neck of the woods dont be substituting anything for my CocaCola in my Rum and Coke.

 

[Roland_deschain]

You sound like my Wisconsinite in-laws.

It's soda in SE Wisconsin.....pop everywhere else.

 

[daft]

Regionalism is no excuse. There are linguistic principles at work. We all have exposure to mass communications, so when a localism arises we know if it is helpful, neutral, or at odds to the greater language pool. How can someone be so proudly provincial that they don't care how their meaning gets distorted among anyone not brought up in a similar bubble?

I have always lived in some remote corner of the country with lots of quirky local terms. It's fine if it doesn't sabotage understanding. But many cases were like this imaginary one... say a V8 gasoline engine is called a "diesel" while a V6 or 4cyl is called gasoline engine. Maybe a guy who has a V8 takes a while to stop firing after the key switches off, but anyway the local population will angrily defend calling all V8s a diesel. It doesn't matter how that sabotages what pump someone may fill up with, just yokels that want to feel they are in a comfortable clique.

These things always instantly offended me, even as the youngest child. Everyone growing up must sense the difference of the wider world vs local world. The wider language pool is normally evolving the language to strip out ambiguity and follow rules in the same way, vs memorizing a bunch of jarring local cases. Fine to use colloquial mode in special contexts, but this coke question was to a wider audience.

"Pop" is babytalk. "Soft drink" is long and fussy, as is "soda pop". "Soda" is ambiguous but the least bad. If you don't feel that, you may be in a local rut blinded to the universal. Here is the limit I can stretch "coke" which is a Pepsi product but having everything missing from modern Coke except coca alkaloids: 1893

 

[Fizzycist]

I'm not in a rut, I picked up "oofta" after getting married! However, I will never refer to joyriding in small circles while spinning my tires as "turning cookies" like the folks here in Southeast Idaho. That's just weird. It's donuts, dang it! After all, there's a hole in the middle!