Geography Chapter 8: Language and Religion

The largest grouping of related languages that share a common ancestral language from a particular hearth or origin.

A collection of languages within a family sharing common origin and separated from other branches in the same family thousands of years ago.

Languages within a branch that share a common ancestor in the relatively recent past and have vocabularies with a high degree of overlap.

A variation of a standard language distinguished by differences in pronunciation, degree of rapidity in speech, word choice, and spelling.

A language that is not assigned to a language family.

The global distribution of languages has changed over time due to colonization and immigration.

Arabic, English, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish have spread widely across continents due to migration patterns.

Mandarin, Hindi, Bengali, Japanese, and Western Punjabi have expanded due to population growth.

The theory that the Indo-European language family originated in modern-day Russia or Ukraine, where nomadic people called Kurgans migrated from, spreading the Proto-Indo-European language as they conquered surrounding lands.

Ancestral language of the Indo-European family that scholars believe existed before the family diverged into different languages.

Linguistic evidence that supports the Kurgan Hearth Theory, where words related to climate, landscape, and animals align with the Kurgan's region.

The theory that the Indo-European language family originated in present-day Turkey, where the adoption of agriculture caused migration and spread of Proto-Indo-European.

Linguistic influence on a language, where words, grammar, and pronunciation are borrowed from other languages.

A language adopted in a region or group of people that is not their native language, often used for communication between different groups.

A language family that includes 445 living languages with diverse origins and branches.

The process of languages spreading and changing over time due to migration, conquest, and cultural contact.

The spread of English throughout history illustrates two types of diffusion: relocation diffusion, where speakers move to new locations, and expansion diffusion, where the language spreads outwards from its origin.

Languages can blend together to form new languages, become isolated, or one culture can adopt another's language.

When one culture adopts another's language, this can lead to language convergence, where languages become more similar. This often happens due to exposure to media or other cultural influences.

Language divergence is the process of languages becoming more different from each other over time. This often happens when groups of people are isolated from each other.

Power dynamics influence which languages become dominant and subordinate. Historically, dominant cultures often impose their languages on others.

When a dominant language is adopted by speakers of other languages, this can impact the way they speak and the words they use.

Toponyms, or place names, can reflect the cultural beliefs and history of a region. Changes in toponyms can indicate shifts in power or cultural dominance.

Endangered languages are at risk of disappearing due to factors like declining populations and cultural pressures. Efforts are being made to preserve these languages by linguists, social scientists, and native speakers.

A religion that actively seeks converts worldwide and transcends ethnic and cultural boundaries.

A religion that is closely associated with a particular ethnic group and typically remains localized within a specific region.

The spread of a religion through the movement of people, often through migration or displacement.

The spread of a religion through the expansion of its influence and adoption by new populations, often through missionary work or conversion.

A major world religion that originated in the Punjab region of India around the 15th century, founded by Guru Nanak.

A major ethnic religion that originated in South Asia around 1500 BCE and is strongly tied to Indian culture and traditions.

An ethnic religion that developed among the Hebrew people in Southwest Asia and has a long history intertwined with the Jewish people.

The process of spreading and disseminating information, ideas, and beliefs, often through communication or cultural exchange.

Religions that try to appeal to everyone, regardless of nationality or culture.

These religions tend to spread through relocation and expansion, meaning people moving with their faith and converting others.

One of the largest universalizing religions, Christianity spread from its origin in the Middle East through relocation and expansion, with European settlers and conquerors playing a significant role in its global spread.

Islam, the second-largest religion, originated in the Arabian Peninsula and spread through conquest, trade, and mission work.

The oldest universalizing religion, Buddhism originated in India and spread through relocation and expansion, with monks and missionaries playing a key role.

Religions that are closely tied to a specific ethnicity, culture, or location.

The distribution of religious groups, with some concentrated in specific areas and others spread across multiple continents.

Historical settlements, migration patterns, and cultural exchanges play a major role in explaining the current geographical distribution of various religious groups.