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Valerie M. Fridland, Professor of Linguistics, University of Nevada, Reno

Pop, soda or coke? The fizzy history behind America’s favorite linguistic debate

'I'll have a coke – no, not Coca-Cola, Sprite.' Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

With burgers sizzling and classic rock thumping, many Americans revel in summer cookouts – at least until that wayward cousin asks for a “pop” in soda country, or even worse, a “coke” when they actually want a Sprite.

Few American linguistic debates have bubbled quite as long and effervescently as the one over whether a generic soft drink should be called a soda, pop or coke.

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