The fifth and final volume of the Dictionary of Regional American English has finally been published, more than 50 years after the project began, and contained in the latest volume, which covers Sl-Z, are the first definitions for “soda’’ and “tonic,’’ plus maps showing where those terms are used. That map looks a lot like I-495 in Massachusetts. I’ll be focusing on the town of Mendon, just off 495, where respondents used both terms, to find the tonic/soda line.
BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log-in
Contact us for help
- Phone
888-MY-GLOBE
Monday-Friday 6:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays 7:30 a.m.- 12:00 noon
- Chat
Monday-Sunday 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Comments
I suspect the usage map and life expectancy for the word 'tonic' (meaning soda) is fairly congruent with the word "spa" (meaning convenience store).
When I moved to Harvard Square from the Seattle area in 1961, I ordered a "milkshake" at the local drugstore. The guy behind the counter asked me if I really wanted a milkshake. I said, yeah, that's why I asked for one. I quickly discovered that I should have ordered a "frappe." Shaken milk isn't nearly as good.
We may be evolving linguistically with the use of the word tonic, but I'll bet all true Bostonians still say, "quatah!" As in that "sodah" costs a dollah and a quatah! I was in Arizona 10 years ago and I used the word quatah in settling the bill at a small restaurant in Sedona and the cashier, to my amazement, pinpointed Somerville, Mass. as my place of origin. It was easy, she said, as she, while living in Arizona for over 30 years, grew up in "south "Medfud." We both had a nice laugh that day and a smiling memory to this day.
I'll meet ya down at the Island for some dogs, rings and tonic and we'll watch the seagulls dodge the airplanes for awhile.
'Do you want a coke?' 'Yeah'. 'What kind?' 'Root beer'. It was never 'tonic'.
This comment has been removed.
My mother still says "tonic". Her grandchildren say "soda". Stuck in the middle, and since words are for communicating, I say "soda" to colleagues, even though "tonic" first comes to my tongue. However, if I did say "tonic", they'd look at me, puzzled. The "soda-sayers" have won, my friends.
When I moved back to NY after being in Boston for decades, I asked for "jimmies" on my cone and they had no idea what I was talking about. Finally, I learned that they are called "sprinkles" here. I had a lot of trouble ordering a sub - they call it a "hero". Nothing here is "wicked funny" - it's " a hoot" or something like that.
When we were kids we did this too. Now I just call it tonic
Will always be tonic. This is a sad story Billy.