Slippery Semantics In Puerto Rico

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Slippery semantics is a term used to define and discuss about how Puerto Ricans discuss race and utilize racial terms. For example, in the Godreau article, Godreau says that “the use of negro or its diminutive form negrito (or negra, negrita) may communicate affection and intimacy regardless of the skin color of the person to which it refers” (6). This statement introduces us to the context on how racial terms are utilized differently in Puerto Rico than we may be used too. For us, in the United States, being called a negrito may cause us to become defensive, offended, and label the individual who said the term racist. However, in Puerto Rico, depending on the context of how the term is used, can have very differing meaning. You could

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