Unit 3 AP Human Geo Vocab

Colonialism

Colonialism

Powerful countries settle in less powerful countries for economic and political gain. (Great Britain, France, Spain)

Acculturation

When people within one culture adopt some traits from another, with adaptations to their own culture.

Native speakers

A person who speaks the original language of their country of origin.

Lingua franca

A common language used by speakers of two different languages for communication. (The two lingua francas are English and Swahili; used for international business, banking, and trading)

Time-space convergence

The process of travel time diminishes as technological advancements in transportation and communication bring places closer together. For instance, the use of phones, computers, social media, etc.

Cultural convergence

Cultures that become similar to each other and share more cultural traits, ideas, and beliefs.

Cultural divergence

The idea that a culture may change over time as the elements of distance, time, physical separation, and modern technology create divisions & change.

Indo-European language family

A large group of languages that might have descended from a language spoken around 6,000 years ago (English, German, Romance Languages)

Romantic languages

The unifying language of Latin that diverged into dozens of distinct regional languages (Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese)

Dialects

Regional variations of a language that have variation in accent, grammar,  usage, and spelling

Isoglosses

Regional variations of a language that have variation in accent, grammar,  usage, and spelling. Line that divides dialects.

Adherents

Someone who is a follower of a certain religion

Ethnic religions

A religion that you have to be born into to be a part of.(Hinduism and Judaism)

Universal religions

Religions that are open to everybody. (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism)

Polytheistic

Believing in many gods. (Hinduism or The belief of the Greek Gods)

Monotheistic

Having only one God or deity, exemplified by Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Buddhism.

Judaism

One of the first monotheistic faiths, ethnic religion, Torah expresses divine will, holy book: Torah(hearth is Israel)

Christianity

Monotheistic, universalizing religion, belief that Jesus, the son of God is the savior of humans, holy book is the Bible(hearth is Israel)

Islam

Universalizing, followed by Muslims, believe in Allah and his teaching to Muhammed, holy book is the Quran (hearth is Saudi Arabia)

Assimilation

The process through which people lose originally differentiating traits, such as dress, speech particularities or mannerisms, when they come into contact with another society or culture

Syncretism

Two different religions that are joined to make one religion(Hinduism + Islam=_________)

Cultural hearths

geographical areas where cultural traits develop and spread.

Folk culture

The traditional practices, customs, and beliefs of a specific group of people, often passed down through generations.

Popular culture

cultural practices that are widespread and often influenced by mass media and technology.

Cultural Landscape

the visible imprint of human activity and culture on the landscape, including buildings, roads, and agricultural patterns.

Sociofacts

the social structures and relationships within a culture that influence behavior and interactions.

Cultural regions

areas defined by shared cultural traits, such as language, religion, and customs.

Sacred place

a location that holds special significance and meaning to a particular culture or religion, often associated with rituals, worship, or historical events.

Sequent occupance

the concept that successive groups of people inhabit and modify a particular area over time, leaving a lasting cultural imprint.

Centripetal forces

factors that unify a country or region, promoting stability and cohesion among its people.

Centrifugal forces

factors that divide a country or region, creating conflict and disunity among its people.

Cultural appropriation

the adoption of elements of one culture by members of another culture, often without permission or understanding, leading to controversy over ownership and representation.

Relocation Diffusion

the spread of cultural traits through the movement of people from one place to another, leading to the adoption of those traits in new locations.

Expansion Diffusion

the spread of a feature or trend among people from one area to another in an additive manner, often through hierarchical, contagious, or stimulus diffusion.

Contagious Diffusioon

the rapid, widespread diffusion of a characteristic throughout the population, often through direct contact.

Hierarchical Diffusion

the spread of a feature or trend from one key person or node of authority to other persons or places, often following a top-down approach.

Stimulus Diffusion

the spread of an underlying principle or idea even if the specific characteristic does not spread. This often occurs when a cultural trait is adapted to fit local preferences.