Coke globally

[leslie savan]

James Smith wrote:
>
> Although 'coke' is not a generic term for soft drinks
> here in Utah, I believe "Wanna coke?" would typically
> be understood to mean "Wanna soft drink, any kind you
> wish?".
>
> --- Derrick Chapman <derrickchapman at MINDSPRING.COM>
> wrote:
> > As a native Georgian from the non-'lanta area, I can
> > certify that "coke" is
> > used as a generic term much the same as kleenex or
> > tupperware or xerox.  I
> > don't know how far outside of Georgia's boundaries
> > it goes, but there's also
> > a tendency to say "Co-cola" (emphasis on the first
> > or second "co" is
> > optional) instead of "Coca-cola."  There's even a
> > guy on the daily stock
> > market reports on Georgia Public Radio that
> > pronounces the company's name
> > with the "ca" syllable silent.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: American Dialect Society
> > [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> > Of Herb Stahlke
> > Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 1:07 PM
> > To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> > Subject: Re: Pop/Soda/Coke
> >
> >
> > Even in Atlanta, where I lived from 74-80, rootbeer,
> > 7-Up, etc. are all
> > coke.  The question "ya wan a coke?" would
> > frequently be met with "yeah,
> > what kind ya got?"
> >
> > Herb Stahlke
> >
> > >>> thompsng at ELMER4.BOBST.NYU.EDU 04/19/00 11:50AM
> > >>>
> > Natalie Maynor quotes a student as saying "Sodas are
> > known as cokes
> > in the South.  Even Pepsi is called a coke in the
> > South."
> >
> > Does this mean that ginger ale and root beer and Dr.
> > Pepper are
> > also called "coke"?  If so, how do they specify that
> > they want or
> > are drinking a cola drink?  If Southerners were to
> > be given a Dr.
> > Brown's Cel-Ray, what would they call it, other than
> > a vile
> > concoction?
> >
> > GAT
> >
>
> =====
> James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
> SLC, UT                        |it is that we will be sued
> jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
>                                |or slowly and cautiously.
>
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Talking about the broad use of Coke, does anyone know how much truth
there is to the truism that "Coke" is one of the most-recognized words
in the world, and probably THE most-recognized word? I've heard this for
years, but where does this idea come from? Studies? (Another top global
word is supposedly "OK"--perhaps both words were covered in the same
studies/surveys or whatever.) If this has already been discussed and is
in the archives, can someone please advise me where in the archives I
should look for it. Thanks...Leslie Savan