W/O pics APHUG Unit 3 Concepts

Cultural relativism

The idea that a person's beliefs and practices should be understood based on that person's own culture, not judged against another

Cultural traits

individual elements of culture, such as dress, food, or religious beliefs

Cultural landscape

The visible imprint of human activity on the landscape, including buildings, roads, signs, and religious structures

Cultural convergence

The process by which cultures become more similar due to shared technology, media, and globalization

Cultural divergence

The tendency for cultures to become increasingly dissimilar with time, often due to isolation or resistance to outside influences

Cultural syncretism

The blending of two or more cultural influences to create a new, unique cultural trait or practice

Multiculturalism

The coexistence of multiple cultural groups within a society, with an emphasis on respecting and preserving cultural differences

Folk culture

Traditionally practiced by small, homogeneous, rural groups living in relative isolation; resistant to change

Pop culture

Culture found in large, heterogeneous societies that shares certain habits despite differences in other personal characteristics; spread by media and technology

Ethnocentrism

Believing one's own culture is superior and judging other cultures by that standard

Acculturation

The process of cultural change and adaptation that occurs when different cultures come into direct contact

Assimilation

When a minority group adopts the cultural traits of a dominant group, often losing aspects of their original culture

Habit

A repetitive act performed by an individual

Custom

A repetitive act performed by a group that becomes characteristic of that group

Lingua franca

A common language used among people with different native languages for trade or communication

Creole language

A stable, natural language that has developed from a mixture of languages, often due to colonization or from a pidgin language

Language family

A group of related languages that share a common ancient origin

Language group

A collection of languages within a branch that share recent origins and display similar grammar and vocabulary

Language branch

A subgroup of a language family

Indo-European language family

The most widely spoken language family, including English, Spanish, Hindi, and Russian

Afro-Asiatic language family

Includes Arabic and Hebrew; dominant in North Africa and the Middle East

Sino-Tibetan language family

Includes Mandarin Chinese and is dominant in East Asia

Dialect

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

Official language

The language given legal status by a country's government

Pidgin language

A simplified, limited language that develops between groups who do not share a common language, often used for trade

Isogloss

A geographic boundary marking where different linguistic features are used

Universalizing religion

A religion that seeks to appeal to all people and actively recruits converts

Ethnic religion

A religion closely tied to a particular ethnic group and place, not actively seeking converts

Christianity

A monotheistic universalizing religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus; the world's largest religion

Islam

A monotheistic universalizing religion founded by Muhammad; followers are called Muslims

Buddhism

A universalizing religion that focuses on overcoming suffering through enlightenment, founded by Siddhartha Gautama

Sikhism

A universalizing religion founded in the Punjab region of India; combines elements of Hinduism and Islam

Hinduism

An ethnic religion mostly practiced in India; polytheistic with strong cultural traditions and belief in reincarnation

Judaism

One of the oldest monotheistic religions, centered around the belief in one God and the Hebrew Bible

Holy site

A location considered sacred or important to a specific religion

Monotheism

Belief in one god

Polytheism

Belief in multiple gods

Atheism

Lack of belief in any gods or religious systems

Sequent occupancy

The idea that successive societies leave their cultural imprints on a place, contributing to its cumulative cultural landscape

Ethnic neighborhood

An area within a city where residents share the same ethnic background and often preserve cultural traditions

Indigenous community

A group descended from the original inhabitants of a region, often maintaining distinct cultural practices

Placemaking

The process through which people create and give meaning to places through cultural practices

Traditional architecture

Building styles that reflect local customs, climate, and resources, passed down through generations

Post-modern architecture

A contemporary architectural style characterized by playful forms, historical references, and rejection of modernism's strict rules

Colonialism

The practice of controlling another country, settling it with people, and exploiting it economically and politically

Imperialism

The broader policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force

Centripetal force

A force that unites people and strengthens a state

Centrifugal force

A force that divides people or weakens a state

Hearth

The region where an idea, innovation, or cultural trait originates and from which it spreads