human geo vocab module 18-21

long-lot settlement pattern

A linear settlement pattern in which each farmstead is situated at one end of a long, narrow rectangular lot; each lot has access to a major linear resource, usually a river or a major road

material culture

The physical, visible objects made and used by members of a cultural group; includes buildings, furniture, clothing, food, artwork, and musical instruments

nonmaterial culture

Intangible elements of culture including a wide range of beliefs, values, myths, and symbolic meanings passed from generation to generation within a given society

cultural trait

A single aspect of a given culture or society

local cultures

Rural, ethnically homogenous culture that is deeply connected to the local land; the opposite of a popular culture

indigenous culture

A local culture that is no longer the dominant ethnic group within its traditional homeland because of migration, colonization, or political marginalization

popular cultures

Heterogeneous culture that is more influenced by key urban areas and quick to adopt new technologies; the opposite of a local culture

cultural additudes

Concepts and ideas in a society that are shaped by cultural opinions, beliefs, and perspectives

language

A mutually agreed-upon system of symbolic communication

polyglots

A person who is fluent in more than two languages

religion

is a structured set of beliefs and practices through which people seek mental and physical harmony with the powers of the universe.

ethnic group

consists of people of common ancestry and cultural tradition.

race

has historically been defined by the physical characteristics of a group, especially skin color.

ethnocentric approach

evaluates other cultures from the perspective of the observer’s culture, so that observer’s culture is perceived as the most natural or correct.

cultural relativism

seeks to understand individuals and cultures from a wider perspective of cultural logic

physical landscape

includes all the natural physical surroundings that create and shape the places we are living in or examining.

placelessness

the feeling resulting from the standardization of the built environment.

modernist architecture

is functional, rational, and orderly; open spaces and straight lines distinguished this style

postmodern architecture

A design style that is a reaction against modernist architecture; it has a flair for the dramatic, creating a spectacle while serving a variety

sequent occupance

refers to the fact that many places have been controlled or affected by a variety of groups over a period of time

sacred spaces

natural or human-made sites that possess religious meaning and are recognized as worthy of devotion, loyalty, fear, or esteem

secular

less influenced

subculture

A group of people with distinct norms, values, and material practices that differentiate them from the dominant culture surrounding them

sense of place

How a person feels about a particular place and why it is important to them

placemaking

used to describe a variety of efforts that seek to use and design public places to better serve the needs of residents and to foster a stronger community.

centripetal force

one that brings people together and unifies a neighborhood, society, or country.

centrifugal forces

forces that threaten the cohesion of a neighborhood, society, or country

secularization

the process whereby religion becomes a less dominant force in everyday life than it was in the past.

absorbing barriers

any barriers that completely halt the diffusion of a cultural trait

permeable barriers

Barriers that slow diffusion but still allow some partial or weakened diffusion

pidgin

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

creole

When pidgin languages acquire fuller vocabularies and become native languages of their speakers

creolization

describes this linguistic process where languages converge and create new languages and forms of communication.

lingua franca

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

bilingualism

The ability to speak two languages fluently

empires

are sovereign political entities that seek to expand beyond their origin territory to control more territory politically and/or economically.

imperialism

the motivating impulse to control greater amounts of territory

colonialism

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