Is It 'Pop, Soda or Coke' In Oklahoma?

When Oklahomans head to Sonic for a drink, they'll usually ask their friends, "do you want to go get a 'pop, soda or coke?'" But what is Oklahoma's universal generic word for a soft drink?

Growing up in southwest Oklahoma, when we wanted to go Sonic, we'd ask, "do you want to go get a coke?" And that's not because we wanted a Coke-a-cola. We would all usually get a sweet tea or a Dr. Pepper. But I've heard several other people across Oklahoma say different things, like pop or soda, or even just "drink."

Do Oklahomans say 'pop, soda or coke' when referring to soft drinks?

According to a video from The Atlantic, there are "at least 10 distinct dialects of English" spoken in the United States. So it's no surprise that there's several names for one thing across the country, but what about in one state?

The Atlantic called several thousand people across the United States and asked them: "What is your generic term for a sweet carbonated beverage?" When the word "coke" is spoken, only a small area of Oklahoma is lit up - the southern area of the state.

Other articles state that the generic name for a sweet carbonated beverage in Oklahoma is "pop." But there's an article from The New York Times that referenced a detailed map of counties in the United State on the percentage of whether that county uses "pop, soda or coke." Based on the map, a majority of the counties in Oklahoma are in red, which means they use "coke," but some counties on the north are in blue, meaning they use "pop."

Oklahoma has a popular destination called 'Pops,' dedicated to sweet carbonated beverages.

To make it more confusing, Oklahoma has an iconic destination called Pops in Arcadia that features "tons of bottled soda," according to its website. People often pull off Route 66 to take a picture by the giant soda bottle.

Other companies in Oklahoma have their own take on what a sweet carbonated beverage is called based on their names, including OKC Soda Co. and Oklahoma Soda Company.

What is your generic word for a sweet carbonated beverage??

So we want to know! As an Okie, what is your generic word for a sweet carbonated beverage? Let us know by messaging us on our station app!

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