Assorted Comments

[Mark A. Mandel]

Sarah Lang <slang at UCHICAGO.EDU> wrote:
>>>

As for slum, personally I would say "dive" or "den." It I were going to talk
about "the slums" I may say that the area was "sketch(y)." If I wanted to
refer to projects or row-housing, I would use those particular terms.

I would still use it as a verb though.

<<<

Hm! The only way "dive/den" works for me in association with "slum" is
"slumming", a verb I don't think I've ever heard/seen in any form except
this -ing form. I know "slum" as a noun only in the sense that others have
been talking about, an area whose inhabitants are poor and whose facilities
are in poor condition.

Interesting side note: my street is lined with row-houses, but not
row-housing in this sense. They were built around 1920 as the first
Philadelphia trolley suburb.

(Great user ID!)

-- Mark A. Mandel
[This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]

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