Quiero que tú me enseñe', que sea' mi teacher : the cultural impact of the use of codeswitching in urban music on the interaction patterns of Puerto Rican bilinguals

Abstract

This research essay analyzes the use of code-switching in the música urbana songs of Puerto Rican popular culture. The study explores how codeswitching has become an integral part of the everyday communication system of English-Spanish proficient bilinguals in Puerto Rico through the use of urban music songs. The study also explores how codeswitching has begun to reshape a part of the local society’s conception of bilingualism. The most notable way that codeswitching among Generation Z is seen through the impact of songs made by famous artists from urban music whose work is quite popular and also structurally different than the typical reggaeton song. Each artist adds their unique spin to the genre while also showcasing their different codeswitching patterns. This is a qualitative study based on the ethnographic methodology of Dell Hymes (1974) whose main focus on language is based on his view that language has to be seen and analyzed in a communicative setting. Such a setting is the rendition of urban music before the public. In addition, the analysis of lyrics will follow van Dijk’s (20008) methodological approach to discourse analysis. The artists selected for this paper have material that lends itself well to this analysis. In order to provide authentic material, lyrics by Bad Bunny and Villano Antillano were transcribed and served as the main data for the investigative part of the study. I will showcase that these artists are using codeswitching not only to connect with a wider audience as they expand beyond only having fans in Puerto Rico, but also how their songs contain an excellent representation of and relevance to our interaction patterns.