Question

select the correct answer.
what effect does the use of mixed spanish and english have in this excerpt from \freeway 280\ by lorna dee cervantes?
albaricosqueros cerezos, nogales...
viejitas come here with paper bags to gather greens.
espinaca, verdolagas, yerbabuena...
a. the mixed language celebrates the poets bicultural and bilingual identity.
b. the mixed language suggests the poet does not have a good command of english.
c. the mixed language gives the poem a lyrical, rhythmic quality.
d. the mixed language conveys the poets rejection of her american identity.
e. the mixed language hints at the poets inner conflicts based on her bicultural heritage.

Explanation:

Lorna Dee Cervantes, a Chicano poet, uses code-switching (mixing Spanish and English) in "Freeway 280" to honor and center her dual cultural and linguistic heritage, framing it as a source of pride rather than conflict or deficiency. The Spanish terms reference the specific cultural context of the speaker's community, while English grounds it in the American setting, collectively celebrating bicultural identity.

Answer:

A. The mixed language celebrates the poet's bicultural and bilingual identity.