Is it soda or pop?

[CentralMass]

34. Yes, calling it"tonic" was popular in MA when i was a kid..

Although my famy typically called it "soda". We moved from western MA to central MA when i was yoing. I seem to remember soda being more commonly used in the western part if the state..

I just googled the topic. Here is a pretty interesting article on it.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2012/03/24/boston-word-tonic-gives-way-soda/QpbSyMXlJvvESSVERxb6iP/story.html

It appears my memory was basically correct. The article mentions the use of tonic was mainly used from Boston to parts of central MA down into Rhode Island. I lived in a small town near Worcester, a bit outside of the "tonic zone" but the use of tonic was common among people there. Although my family always said soda. Tonic dates back to when the drinks were supposed to have medicinal properties. There was a bitter soft drink called Moxie that looked like coke that is still available

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moxie

https://www.drinkmoxie.com