2nd human geography set

What is a dialect?

A variation within a language involving differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, speed, and rhythm.

Why is American English considered a dialect?

It differs from English varieties in England, South Africa, Australia, etc.

Give an example of vocabulary variation in dialects.

"Paraffin": UK = kerosene, US = candle wax.

What type of dialect difference is an accent?

Pronunciation difference.

How can rhythm identify dialects?

People can identify where someone is from by speech rhythm (e.g., Scottish rhythms allow locating someone within ~30-60 miles).

What are social dialects?

Dialects associated with social class or groups (upper, middle, working class).

Give a social dialect example from England.

Queen's English, BBC English, Cockney.

Does the U.S. have social dialects?

Yes—examples include "redneck"/"hick," academic or profession-based speech patterns.

What influences a child's social dialect?

Parents, peers, and early childhood environment.

What is a spatial (regional) dialect?

A dialect rooted in geographic separation or isolation.

Name two international examples of regional dialects.

Australian English, Irish English.

Describe an example of regional dialect variation inside a city.

Brooklyn vs. Bronx accents in New York.

Why do isolated communities (like islands or the Amish) have distinct dialects?

Physical/social isolation prevents mixing with other dialects.

What are major plural forms of "you" in the U.S. regions?

South = y'all; North = you guys; PA/WV = yins/yuns.

Why do many people not notice their own dialect?

It matches their everyday environment.

What country is Northern Ireland part of?

The United Kingdom.

Why is Northern Ireland religiously divided?

English and Scots-Irish settlement in the 1600s created a Protestant majority in Ulster.

What are the two main religious groups?

Protestants (slight majority) and Catholics (large minority).

Why is dividing Northern Ireland by religion impossible?

Communities are geographically mixed and interspersed.

Where are sectarian tensions strongest?

Poorer, working-class neighborhoods and public housing.

What caused historic Catholic grievances?

400 years of discrimination and Protestant domination.

What is the "Peace Wall" in Belfast?

A 25-foot barrier separating Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods.

What show illustrates life in Northern Ireland during the conflict?

Derry Girls.

What peace treaty was signed in 1996?

The Good Friday Agreement.

What Middle Eastern country's divisions were compared to Northern Ireland?

Iraq—Shia Arabs, Sunni Arabs, and Sunni Kurds.

What are the world's largest Muslim countries by population?

Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia (all outside the Middle East).

What is Balkanization?

The fragmentation of states due to ethnic or religious divisions.

What country was formerly called Yugoslavia?

"Land of the South Slavs"—Slovenes, Croats, Serbs, Bosnians, etc.

Why did Yugoslavia hold together under Tito?

His authoritarian rule suppressed ethnic conflict.

What caused Yugoslavia to break apart?

After Tito's death, ethnic and religious tensions resurfaced.

Why is the Balkans region highly divided?

Mountainous geography isolates groups.

What are Western religions' views on nature?

Humans rule over nature (Judaism, Christianity, Islam).

What is a key belief of Hinduism compared to Western religions?

Pluralism—many paths to the divine.

What languages divide Canada?

English and French.

What was the result of Quebec's 1995 secession vote?

49.4% voted yes—nearly split the country.

What divides Belgium linguistically?

Flemish (north) vs. French (south).

Why does Russia have many minority languages?

Mountain and geographic isolation (e.g., Caucasus).

What sparked the Ukraine conflict linguistically?

Divisions between Russian-speaking east and Ukrainian-speaking west.

Why is Switzerland an exception to language conflict?

Long tradition of power-sharing and decentralized government.

Which language family covers the most speakers?

Indo-European.

What triggered the formation of Old English?

Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, Jutes) colonizing Britain.

How did Vikings influence English?

Introduced "sk" words and simplified plurals ("-s").

What was the effect of the Norman Conquest (1066)?

Flooded English with French vocabulary (law, government, cuisine).

Why does English have double vocabulary (eat/dine, sweat/perspire)?

Germanic everyday words + French aristocratic words.

Why is English considered a "living language"?

Constantly borrowing and creating new words.

What is an isolated language?

A language unrelated to any other (e.g., Basque).

Which languages belong to the Uralic family?

Finnish and Hungarian.

What are two types of extensive subsistence agriculture?

Nomadic herding & shifting cultivation.

What is intensive subsistence agriculture?

Small plots producing large yields (e.g., rice in China/India).

Why is Bangladesh ideal for rice cultivation?

Alluvial soils from constant flooding.

What did the First Green Revolution introduce?

Mechanization, fertilizers, irrigation, pesticides.

What is a GMO?

A genetically modified organism with altered DNA for yield/disease resistance.

Why is most clothing made in "lower-middle income" countries?

Combination of low wages + adequate infrastructure.

What is the spatial division of labor?

Core countries do design/R&D; periphery does manufacturing.

What percent of a $100 shoe goes to the factory worker?

0.4% (~40 cents).

What is a maquiladora?

A Mexican factory using U.S. inputs and cheap labor for export back to the U.S.

What does the Gini coefficient measure?

Wealth or income inequality.

What do most Eastern religions share?

Cyclical time and reincarnation.

Why is Hinduism considered an ethnic religion?

Strongly tied to India and not widespread through conversion.

What is the Hindu caste system?

Hereditary social hierarchy based on birth and occupation.

What is Ahimsa? (Jainism)

Radical nonviolence toward all living beings.

Why do some Jains wear masks and sweep the ground?

To avoid killing insects (all beings have equal souls).

What are the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism?

Life is suffering; suffering is caused by desire; ending desire ends suffering; follow the Eightfold Path.

What does Sikhism reject?

The caste system.

What sparked Sikh-Indian conflict in 1984?

Army raid on the Golden Temple and assassination of Indira Gandhi.