AP Human Geography Topics 3.5–3.8: Cultural Patterns and Processes

Vocabulary flashcards covering historical and contemporary causes of diffusion, diffusion of religion and language, and the cultural effects of diffusion for AP Human Geography Topics 3.5 through 3.8.

Cultural diffusion

The spread of cultural traits, ideas, beliefs, languages, or practices from one place or group to another.

Colonialism

When a country establishes control over another territory, often settling there and using its land, resources, and labor.

Imperialism

When a country extends its power and influence over another territory or people through political, economic, or cultural control, without necessarily requiring large-scale settlement.

Trade

The exchange of goods and services between people or places, which can also spread religions, languages, technologies, foods, customs, and ideas.

Cultural hearth

A place where a cultural trait, idea, or practice originates before spreading outward.

Lingua franca

A common language used by people who speak different native languages to facilitate trade, government, education, and international relations.

Creolization

The process of blending cultural traits or languages into a new, stable cultural form.

Creole language

A stable language that develops through language contact and acquires native speakers.

Pidgin

A simplified communication system that develops when groups without a shared language need to communicate, generally beginning without native speakers.

Diaspora

The dispersal of a population from its homeland to other places.

Globalization

The increasing connection and interaction among people, businesses, economies, and cultures worldwide.

Urbanization

An increasing percentage of a population living in urban areas, bringing people into close contact and facilitating the spread of ideas and traits.

Communication technology

Tools and systems—such as the internet, smartphones, television, and social media—that enable cultural traits to spread without people physically moving.

Media

Methods for distributing information and entertainment, including television, music platforms, films, and social media.

Time-space convergence

The reduction in the time needed to travel between places or communicate across distance due to technological improvements.

Time-space compression

A concept describing how improved transportation and communication make distant places seem closer.

Cultural convergence

The process where cultures become more similar as a result of increased interaction and sharing of cultural traits.

Cultural divergence

The process where cultures become more distinct or maintain differences instead of becoming more similar, often to preserve traditions or local identity.

Cultural homogenization

The process where cultures become more uniform or alike, often through widespread global brands, media, and consumer products.

Cultural resistance

Efforts to protect, preserve, or revive cultural practices in response to outside influences.

Glocalization

Adapting a global product or idea to fit local cultural preferences.

Language family

A group of languages that developed from a common ancestral language.

Indo-European language family

A major language family that includes many languages in Europe and parts of South and Southwest Asia.

Language branch

A subdivision of a language family whose languages share a more recent common ancestor.

Language group

A smaller grouping of related languages within a language branch in some classification systems.

Dialect

A regional or social variation of a language that may differ in vocabulary, pronunciation, or grammar.

Accent

Differences in pronunciation of a language.

Isogloss

A boundary line on a map marking where a specific language feature or word usage changes geographically.

Official language

A language designated by a government for official functions such as laws, administration, or education.

Standard language

A form of a language widely accepted for formal communication, education, writing, or media.

Toponym

A place-name, which can reveal a location's history, language, settlement patterns, or cultural influences.

Indigenous language

A language originating among the Indigenous peoples of a specific region.

Religious hearth

The geographical place where a religion originated.

Universalizing religion

A religion that seeks to spread to people regardless of ethnic or cultural background and often seeks converts (e.g., Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism).

Ethnic religion

A religion strongly connected to a particular ethnic group, ancestry, or cultural tradition, generally not focused on converting everyone (e.g., Hinduism, Judaism).

Acculturation

Adopting some cultural traits from another culture while retaining important parts of one's original culture.

Assimilation

When a group increasingly adopts the dominant culture to the point where its original cultural traits become less distinct.

Syncretism

The blending of elements from different cultural or religious traditions to form a combined practice or belief.

Multiculturalism

The presence and recognition of multiple cultural groups within a society where groups maintain distinct languages, traditions, religions, and identities.

Nativism

Favoring the interests or cultural identity of native-born inhabitants over those of immigrants.

Cultural hybridization

The creation of new cultural forms by combining traits from different cultures.