The Cuban Swimmer

1) Throughout the play there are people who speak mainly Spanish, some who speak English as well who speak both.

Margarita speaks mainly Spanish but a little bit of English also.

Eduardo speaks both Spanish and English.

Simon speaks mostly English but also Spanish.

Aida speaks both English and Spanish.

Abuela speaks mostly Spanish.

2) The author expresses that while Spanish may be the dominant language, English phrases are also used in everyday conversation. Speaking two different languages may be confusing at times if you are not fluent in both.

3) The play setting is the Pacific Ocean between San Pedro and Caralina Island. This region is a Spanish dominated area. Throughout the play, most all characters speak in Spanish and English. Eduardo, the father, seems to speak Spanish when giving important instructions to Margarita and speaks English when the instructions don't seem as relevant to the situation. By doing this, one may conclude that Margarita understands Spanish better than English. I do not understand Spanish fluently. It would be much harder for me to keep concentration if I am being spoken to in Spanish more than English. It may be confusing for Margarita or anybody else in the play to understand unless they speak both languages perfectly.