RC Passage 2 Explanation, by LSATHacks
This is an explanation for passage 2 of LSAT preptest 29, the October 1999 LSAT. This passage is about tribal languages. It discusses the challenges of preserving these languages and how to effectively pass them on to younger tribe members.
This section has paragraph summaries and an analysis of the passage, links to the explanations for the questions are below.
Paragraph Summaries
- Tribes preserve their languages through community self-teaching.
- First step: document grammar.
- Difficulty 1: translating an oral language to writing.
- Difficulty 2: whether to standardize.
- Criticism: Oral form is better. Response: writing is necessary to save dying oral languages.
Analysis
It’s important to point out that the author thinks oral language instruction could still work. But the last paragraph says you’d have to cut off the community from outside influences.
The second paragraph is difficult. Most people misread lines 14-17. The first step is analyzing grammar. The northern Ute’s are an example, so we can assume that “analysis and classification” of the language’s structure is the same thing as documenting grammar.
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