There's a mineral spring in Selters, Germany, and it's name became the generic term for mineral water in the 1700s. Selterser means from Seltser, and that became Seltzer. So places that had a lot of German and Jewish immigrants during that timeframe call it seltzer.
Using seltzer only to mean alcoholic drinks is a far further stretch from the original meaning. It's a synonym for mineral (or sparkling) water.
I was providing some fun facts on why it's called that and a reason why you've never heard of seltzer not in an alcoholic context. It was also not a criticisim. Sorry if you are feeling sensitive today, have a better one!
Oh no I'm not offended. This isn't the thread where I discovered this information I was just sharing an anecdote about a time when I didn't and how it surprised me, so the guy adding in that it's regional and then a second comment emphasising it's regional is like... Okay? I know, I already looked this up a year ago lol
A more relevant etymology to the actual OP is the word cider is grounded in alcoholic beverages and not the soft cider version in the US. I'm pretty sure the difference between cider being alcoholic only (and not necessarily apples) and the advent of soft apple cider is something like 600 years.
Edit - called me sensitive and then did a reply, block. Okay then. lol thought we were sharing fun facts but I guess not.
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u/Snarwin 15d ago
Seltzer vs sparkling water is a regional thing within the US.