Date: Tue, 5 Dec 1995 13:40:00 CST
From: Edward Callary TB0EXC1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MVS.CSO.NIU.EDU
Subject: Re: lugen
Re: Lugen:
Ten years ago, several of my undergraduates reported Lugen
as a 'common' term in South Chicago for, as you say, a
person of Lithuanian extraction. They also reported
Bohunk as a more general term. At that time, they didn't
claim more than the mildest derogation associated with
either term, although of the two Lugan was the more
neutral. Of course, these were non-Lugans doing the
reporting.
Also possibly of interest, and coming from the same
'etnic' neighborhoods, was the pronunciation of HOOD
with the vowel of rude; hoods were the neighborhood
toughs and tough wannabes.
Edward Callary
Northern Illinois University