\documentclass[english,]{article}
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  \newcommand{\textfrench}[2][]{\foreignlanguage{french}{#2}}
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  \setotherlanguage[variant=swiss]{german}
  \setotherlanguage[]{spanish}
  \setotherlanguage[]{french}
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% set default figure placement to htbp
\makeatletter
\def\fps@figure{htbp}
\makeatother


\date{}

\begin{document}

\section{Empty Divs and Spans}\label{empty-divs-and-spans}

Some text and

div contents

and more text.

Next paragraph with a {span} and a word-thatincludesa{span}right?

\section{Directionality}\label{directionality}

Some text and

\begin{RTL}
rtl div contents
\end{RTL}

and more text.

\begin{LTR}
and a ltr div. with a \RL{rtl span}.
\end{LTR}

Next paragraph with a \RL{rtl span} and a
word-that-includesa\LR{ltrspan}right?

\section{Languages}\label{languages}

Some text and

\begin{german}

German div contents

\end{german}

and more text.

Next paragraph with a \textenglish[variant=british]{British span} and a
word-that-includesa\textgerman[variant=swiss]{Swiss German span}right?

Some \textspanish{Spanish text}.

\section{Combined}\label{combined}

Some text and

\begin{RTL}
\begin{french}

French rtl div contents

\end{french}
\end{RTL}

and more text.

Next paragraph with a \LR{\textenglish[variant=british]{British ltr
span}} and a word-that-includesa\LR{\textgerman[variant=swiss]{Swiss
German ltr span}}right?

\end{document}