The Soft-Drink Map (what do YOU call ’em?)

Neil Gaiman has just Made My Day.  He passes along a link from Mark Evanier for a map that breaks down, county by county across the entire country, the prevalent generic terms used for soft drinks.  It confirms my long-held contention that Southrons use “Coke” to mean any kind of soft drink (This isn’t surprising, given that Coca-Cola was invented in the South).  When I was young (forty years ago or thereabout), this conversation was common in Comanche (67% “Coke” in the sample):

“I’m gonna go get a coke at the store. You want one?”
“Sure.”
“What kind you want?”
“Bring me a Dr Pepper.”

and then someone else might say:

“Long as you’re goin’ for cokes, would you bring me back a Nehi (pronounced ‘knee-high’)?”

And by the time you were done, the ”coke” order amounted to several Cokes and Dr Peppers, a Seven-Up, a Nehi (grape, probably, but occasionally chocolate), an Orange Crush, and maybe something offbeat like a Delaware Punch (I was a Delaware Punch fiend; still am, when I can find it).