ANTH 101 Studying

Dialect

A particular form of a language which is peculiar to a specific region or social group

Creole

A natural language developed from a pidgin and spoken as a first language with its own grammar and vocabulary

Pidgin

A grammatically simplified contact language used between people who do not share a common language

Ethnogenesis

The process by which a distinct cultural or ethnic identity is formed through shared experiences and resistance

Elements of Ethnogenesis

Group identity

Rites of Passage

Ceremonial events marking transitions in social status (e.g.

Why Humans Have Rites of Passage

To reduce uncertainty

Evidence of Early Religion

Burial goods

Rasta Commercial Identity

The commodification of Rastafari symbols

Consequences of Identity Commercialization

Cultural dilution

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

The idea that language influences or determines how people perceive and think about the world

Chomsky’s Universal Grammar

The theory that all humans are born with an innate capacity for language governed by universal structures

Millenarian Movement

A belief in an upcoming transformative event or apocalypse that will bring justice or utopia

Rasta Response to Selassie’s Death

Many denied or reinterpreted his death as spiritual ascension or a test of faith

Selassie’s Visit to Jamaica

Reinforced Rastafari belief by legitimizing their cause and engaging directly with followers

Initial Conditions

The social

Handsome Lake Religion

A revitalization movement among the Iroquois emphasizing morality

Heller Pringle’s Argument

Challenges the male-centered 'Man the Hunter' narrative and emphasizes cooperation and female roles

Sex vs Gender

Sex is biological

Major Dialect Processes

Sound changes

Phoneme

The smallest unit of sound that distinguishes meaning in a language

Morpheme

The smallest meaningful unit of language (e.g.

Phonology

The study of sound systems and patterns in a language

Syntax

The rules for combining words into meaningful sentences

Semantics

The study of meaning in words

Gender Geography Impact

Where one lives (matrilocal vs patrilocal societies) affects gender authority and roles

Apes and Sign Language

Apes can learn symbolic signs

Oakland Ebonics Controversy

A 1996 debate sparked by a school board recognizing AAVE as a distinct language for educational purposes

Three Types of Magic

Imitative (symbolic mimicry)

Marcus Garvey

Black nationalist leader promoting Pan-Africanism and repatriation

Three Phases of Linguistic Anthropology

1) Documentation and preservation

Feminist Turn in Anthropology

Centered gender in analysis