<p>“pop” is the standard lingo in the Boston area, which, generally, evinces a fairly high level of academic attainment as well as a high level of education. “they” also call water fountains “bubblers”. Most/all of these linguistic differences follow the standard paradigm of inclusion/exclusion: if you want to blend and appear local, you use the local lingo; if you think that rejecting the local lingo provides some sort of play for social dominance, go for it. Many of these differences are also just quirks with no discernable point of origin but celebrated by locals who want to be that unique snowflake. Overall, it seems like a tempest in a teapot.</p>
<p>So, do you want to blend in or be a cultural warrior or to communicate?</p>
<p>There is quote along the lines of: “The best bred person in the room is the person who can make the most people feel comfortable.”. The question is, which word is right for which context, not “what is the universal truth”…this is language, not math…solutions need not be unique.</p>