AP Human Geography Unit 3: Culture

Cultural Convergence

The process of two or more cultures coming into contact.

Dialects

variations in accent, grammar, usage and spelling and develop out of geographic distance or isolation.

Communication technologies

Like the internet and time- space convergence, are reshaping and accelerating interactions among people; changing cultural practices, as in the increasing use of English and the loss of indigenous languages; and creating cultural convergence and divergence.

Indo European

The largest language family with about 3.2 billion speakers distributed across the world.

Neocolonialism

"New" colonialism- term to describe how in more modern times, imperialism can be pursued through the assertion of political, economic and cultural influence rather than occupation.

Geographers

study land- use patterns as seen on the cultural landscape which reflect the cultural values of the people living there.

Official Language

Used by the government of a country for laws, reports, signs, public objects, money, stamps.

Isogloss

A geographic boundary within which a particular linguistic feature occurs.

Language Branch

Collection of languages that share a common origin from thousands of years ago.

Regional patterns

Patterns of language, religion and ethnicity contribute to a sense of place, enhance placemaking, & shape the global cultural landscape.

Culture

Comprises the shared practices, technologies, attitudes, behaviors transmitted by a society.

Sino Tibetan

The second largest with 1.4 billion speakers mostly concentrated in East and Southeast Asia.

Emperor Theodosius

declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

Lingua Franca

The common language used by speakers of two different languages for communication.

Trade

People interact in order to buy and sell goods- interaction results in the exchange of culture and ideas.

Traditional Architecture

Influenced by environmental resources, reflected from culture and climate.

Anatolian Farmer Theory

The adoption of the Indo- European language was facilitated through successful agricultural practices.

Post modern Architecture

Reflective of popular culture and business.

Stimulus Diffusion

The idea that as cultural traits spread they are altered /modified due to a cultural barrier, taboo, or difference.

Kurgan Warrior Theory

Indo- European language first diffused from a hearth located in modern Russia /Ukraine around 1, 000 B.C.E.

Regional patterns

Patterns of language, religion and ethnicity that contribute to a sense of place, enhance placemaking, & shape the global cultural landscape.

Romance Branch

Includes languages like Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and Romanian.

Contagious Diffusion

A cultural trait spreads rapidly, widely, and continuously from its hearth through close contact between people- like a viral video.

Cultural Divergence

Cultures become less alike because of cultural and physical barriers.

Ethnic religions

Including Hinduism and Judaism, they are generally found near the hearth or spread through relocation diffusion.

Cultural hearth

The geographic origin of a culture or cultural trait.

Reverse Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of cultural traits from the least interconnected, wealthy, or powerful people /organizations outwards, like the spread of hip- hop.

Imperialism

The dominance of one country over another country through diplomacy or force

Colonialism

When a powerful country established settlements in a less powerful country for economic and or political gain

Pidgin Language

An extremely simplified, limited non-native language used by two people that speak two different languages

Creole Language

A pidgin language that develops into a new combines language with native speakers

Official Language

Used by the government of a country for laws, reports, signs, public objects, money, stamps

Cultural Convergence

The process of two or more cultures coming into contact

Cultural Divergence

Cultures become less alike because of cultural and physical barriers

Language Family

Largest group of related languages which are connected through a common, ancient ancestry and trace back to a common hearth

Language Branch

Collection of languages that share a common origin from thousands of years ago

Romance Branch

Includes languages like Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and Romanian

Germanic Branch

Includes languages such as German, English, and Dutch

Language Group

Collection of languages that share a more recent past with similar vocabularies and some overlap

Isogloss

A geographic boundary within which a particular linguistic feature occurs