Chapter 7: The Geography of Languages and Religions

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Introduction to GeographyPeople, Places, and
Environment, 4eEdward F. BergmanWilliam H.
Renwick

• Chapter 7 The Geography of Languages and
  Religions
• Victoria Alapo, Instructor
• Geog 1010

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Language Religion

• The two most important forces that bond and
  define human cultures
• Linguistic Geography
• The study of different dialects across space
• Many Social Scientists believe that Language is
  the most important cultural index.
• It structures an individuals perception of world

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Defining Language

• Language is a major difference in pattern of
  communication e.g. English, Yoruba, French, etc.
• Dialects
• Minor variations in pattern within a language.
  E.g. Pidgin English, American English, British
  English different types of the same language.
• Official Language
• One in which official records are kept govt.
  business is done. Includes formal education and
  signage.

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Language Regions

• Lingua Franca
• Common language used in a country (especially in
  a country with different native languages). This
  common language sometimes cuts across
  international borders so it could also be a
  current language of international discourse.
• E.g. Swahili, English, Arabic, Hausa, French, etc
• Polyglot states
• Having multiple official languages e.g. India,
  Canada, Belgium, S/Africa.
• National Languages
• Tied to just one country, e.g. Icelandic,
  Japanese Nepali

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American English Should it be the
Official Language?

• U.S. Constitution did not specify language
• U.S. House and Senate disagree
• However, English has always been lingua franca
• Dedication to common language (patriotism) or
  resentment of changing immigration trends?

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Worlds Major Languages

• There are more than 3,000 distinct languages
  worldwide (and 1,000 of those are in Africa
  alone).
• Mother tongues your 1st or native language.
• 50 of the world population speaks one of 12
  major languages listed on next slide. Mandarin
  Chinese has the largest number of speakers. Why?
• English is the primary language of at least 350
  million people and is the official language of
  about 50 countries
• Postcolonial societies (see further slides)
• Imposed official languages by colonial ruler
• Not always spoken by all locals

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Geography of Writing

• Orthography
• System of writing
• Sumerians (3000 B.C.), Egyptian (3000 B.C.),
  Chinese (1300 B.C.), Olmec People of Central
  America (650 B.C.)
• Alphabets
• Roman
• Cyrillic offshoot of Greek
• Arabic
• Non-alphabetic
• Chinese, Japanese, Korean

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Geography in many languages, pg 268
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Toponymy

• This is the study of place names -- see next 2
  slides.
• Consists of, or records these
• Natural features
• Origins/values of inhabitants
• Belief structures, religions
• Current or past heroes

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Worlds Major Religions

• Systems of beliefs guiding behavior
• Fundamentalism strictest adherence to beliefs.
• Secularism ignores/ excludes religious
  considerations.

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Actually, parts of the map are not very correct
if you go by Table 7-3, which is more factual.
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Judaism

• 14 million adherents, including Black Jews in
  Ethiopia! (A reminder of both oral and written
  history!)
• Monotheistic
• Pentateuch
• First five books of the Old Testament
• Sects (know these)
• Orthodox, Conservative, Reform
• Israel
• Homeland for Jewish people
• Re-created 1948
• Resulted in conflict between Israel and Palestine

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Christianity

• Emerged from Judaism
• Coptic Church
• Founded in Alexandria in A.D. 41
• Now found mainly in Egypt and Ethiopia (if
  curious, see Acts chapter 8. The story about the
  Ethiopian Eunuch).
• Official religion of Roman Empire
• Facilitated its geographical spread
• Dark Ages church was the focus of life. Time
  when Church State were one and the same.
• Protestant Reformation Martin Luther.
• Significant growth in Africa, Asia and Latin
  America.

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Islam

• Muhammad
• Allah
• Five Pillars of Islam
• Belief in one God
• Five daily prayers
• Generous alms
• Fasting during Ramadan
• Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj)
• Main Sects
• Sunni, Shiite
• Others Wahhabi, Sufi, etc

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Hinduism

• Hinduism
• Most ancient religious tradition in Asia
• Vedas Hindu sacred texts
• Belief in reincarnation
• Diet (cows/ beef not allowed)
• Castes (hierarchy)
• Brahman, priestly
• Kshatriya, warrior
• Vaisya, tradesman and farmer
• Sudra, servant and laborer
• The Untouchables /the Dalits (see video)

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Sikhism

• Sikhism
• Offshoot of Hinduism
• Guru Nanak (founder), 1469-1539
• He tried to reconcile Hinduism Islam, and
  opposed the caste system.

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Buddhism

• Diffused from India created by Buddha (the
  Enlightened One)
• Also believe in reincarnation (Buddha was
  originally a Hindu). But he hated the Caste
  System.
• Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
• Life involves suffering
• Cause of suffering is desire
• Elimination of desire ends suffering
• Right thinking and behavior eliminate desire
• Nirvana state of enlightenment you stop
  coming back when you become perfect.

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Other Religions

• Other Eastern Religions (read text for more info)
• Confucianism
• Taoism
• Shinto
• Animism and Shamanism (Traditional)
• Animism
• Belief in ubiquity of spirits or spiritual forces
  gods and goddesses.
• Shamanism
• Shaman Found in most parts of the world, e.g.
  in Siberia, and some Native American groups.
  Also, in Korea, South America, Africa, etc. This
  is where a medium goes into trances and believes
  they are communicating with the spirit world.

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Social Political Impacts of Religion

• Theocracy
• Church rules directly e.g. the Vatican many
  Islamic States.
• Gender roles
• Womens rights Christian vs. Islamic States
• Diet
• Vegetarians (Buddhists), pork (Muslims, Jews),
  beef (Hindus), alcohol (Muslims), etc
• Ethics, morals, schools and institutions
• Burial practices concepts about the worlds
  origin
• Relationship with nature (Exploitive approach
  e.g. Capitalism Adaptive approach e.g.
  Buddhism)