Unit 3 / Culture / Modules 21-24

acculturation

Occurs when an ethnic or immigrant group adopts enough of the ways of the host society to be able to function economically and socially

animistic religion

A faith that subscribes to the idea that souls or spirits exist not only in humans but also in animals, plants, rocks, natural phenomena such as thunder, geographic features such as mountains or rivers, and other entities of the natural environment

assimilation

Occurs when an ethnic or immigrant group blends in with the host culture and loses many culturally distinctive traits

bilingualism

The ability to speak two languages fluently

caste

The class or distinct hereditary order into which a Hindu is assigned according to religious law

colonialism

The act of forcefully controlling a foreign territory, which becomes known as a colony

convergence hypothesis / cultural convergence

The idea that cultures are converging or becoming more alike

creole

A combined language that has a fuller vocabulary than a pidgin language and becomes a native language

creolization

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

cultural divergence

The process by which different cultures or cultural groups become more distinct from one another over time

culture hearth

A focused geographic area where important innovations are born and from which they spread

dialect

A regional variation of a language that is understood by people who speak other variations of that language

empire

A sovereign political entity that seeks to expand beyond its origin territory to control more territory politically and/or economically

endangered languages

A language that is not taught to children by their parents and is not used actively in everyday matters

ethnic religion

A religion identified with a particular ethnic or tribal group that does not seek converts

extinct languages

A language that has only a few elderly speakers still living or no living speakers

genocide

The systematic killing of members of a racial, ethnic, or linguistic group

imperialism

The motivating impulse to control greater amounts of territory

isogloss

A boundary line between two distinct linguistic regions

language family

A group of related languages that share a common ancestry

lingua franca

A language of communication and commerce spoken across a wide area where it is not a mother tongue

monotheism

Relating to the belief in only one god

official language

The language adopted by a country's government conducting business and publishing of official government documents

orthodox religion

Religion that emphasizes purity of faith and is generally not open to blending with elements of other belief systems

pidgin

A trade language, characterized by a very small vocabulary derived from the languages of at least two or more groups in contact

pilgrimage

Voluntary travel to a sacred site to pay respects or participate in a ritual at the site

polytheism

The belief in many gods

proselytic religion

Describing a religion that spreads its message to others through missionary work

syncretic religion

Religion that combines elements of two or more different belief systems

syncretism

The blending of beliefs, ideas, practices, and traits, especially in a religious context

theocracy

The government is presumed to be divinely ordained by God

time-space convergence

The phenomenon whereby the introduction of new transportation technologies progressively reduces the time it takes to travel between places

toponyms

The names given to places

transculturation

The notion that people adopt elements of other cultures as well as contribute elements of their own culture, thereby transforming both cultures

universalizing religion

A religion that actively seeks new members and believes its message has universal importance and application