Unit 3 - Culture

Ethnocentrism

Belief in the superiority of one's nation or ethnic group.

Cultural relativism

the practice of judging a culture by its own standards

Popular culture

Culture found in a large, heterogeneous society that shares certain habits despite differences in other personal characteristics. Often spread by the youth in urban areas.

Acculturation

The adoption of some cultural traits, such as language, by one group under the influence of another.

Assimilation

the social process of adopting most cultural traits of another culture.

Culture

Beliefs, customs, and traditions of a specific group of people.

Cultural trait

an idea or way of doing things that is common in a certain culture

Traditional culture

the long-established behaviors, beliefs, and practices passed down from generation to generation.

Syncretism

the combining of elements of two groups into a new cultural feature. Example: Jazz

Lingua franca

a language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose languages are different.

Hearth

The region from which innovative ideas originate

Isogloss

A boundary that separates regions in which different dialects or terms predominate.

Creolization

The linguistic process where languages converge and create new languages and forms of communication

Indo-European languages

a family of several hundred related languages and dialects

Extinct language

A language that was once used by people in daily activities but is no longer used.

Revived language

an extinct language that is brought back into society. Example: Hebrew

Isolate language

A language that is unrelated to any other languages and therefore not attached to any language family. Example: Ainu, Basque

Universalizing religion

A religion that attempts to appeal to all people, not just those living in a particular location, or ethnic group.

Ethnic religion

religion that is identified with a particular ethnic or tribal group and that does not seek new converts.

Cultural iceberg

what we see and can observe from culture is only a small part of what culture is

sequent occupance

the notion that successive societies leave their cultural imprints on a place, each contributing to the cumulative cultural landscape.

Gendered space

areas or regions designed for men or women

Third place

A social setting in addition to the "first place" of home and the "second place" of work where people routinely gather.

Dialect

A regional variety of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.

Kurgan Warrior Theory

Indo-European spread via nomadic warrior conquests.

Anatolian Farmer Theory

The theory that the adoption of the Indo-European language was facilitated through successful agricultural practices.

Historical causes for the spread of culture

Migration, trade, military conquest, colonialism and imperialism.

Modern causes for the spread of culture

Globalization, urbanization, technology, migration

cultural divergence

The likelihood or tendency for cultures to become increasingly dissimilar with the passage of time. Example: English and American culture, Hawaiian and Maori culture

Cultural convergence

The tendency for cultures to become more alike as they increasingly share technology and organizational structures in a modern world united by improved transportation and communication.