LSAT 116, Section 1, RC Passage 2, Puerto Rican Americans

RC Passage 2 Explanation

PASSAGE TEXT: In many bilingual communities of Puerto Rican Americans living in the mainland United …

Paragraph Summaries

1. Puerto Rican Americans often switch between English and Spanish during conversations, a practice called code-switching. Although some cases are unclear, most switching can be explained by the situation or the speaker’s rhetorical goals.
2. Code-switching usually depends on the social context of a conversation. When these factors fit together (for example, parent and child talking at home about family matters), speakers tend to agree on using a particular language mix. When the factors conflict, language choice becomes less predictable.
3. Context does not explain all code-switching. Sometimes speakers mainly use one language but switch briefly to the other to create a certain effect, such as showing humor, closeness, or emphasis. These switches can happen so naturally that speakers may not even notice they are doing it.

Analysis

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