World Geography / Unit 3: Human Geography
3.5 Language and Religion
Notes
Language and religion are major parts of cultural identity and have distinct patterns on the map.
- A language family is a group of related languages. Indo-European (English, Spanish, Hindi, Russian) has the most speakers. Others: Sino-Tibetan (Mandarin), Afro-Asiatic (Arabic), Niger-Congo (Swahili), Austronesian.
- Mandarin Chinese has the most native speakers. English is the most widely used second language. A lingua franca is a common language used between groups with different mother tongues.
- Universalizing religions seek followers everywhere: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism. Ethnic religions are tied to a people or place: Hinduism, Judaism.
- Origins: Hinduism in the Indus-Ganges region of South Asia; Buddhism in northern India; Judaism, Christianity and Islam in Southwest Asia.
- Christianity and Islam are the two largest religions by followers.
Practice
A language spoken by traders from many different native languages so they can communicate is a
A lingua franca is a shared common language.
Which religion began in northern India and spread across East and Southeast Asia?
Buddhism began with Siddhartha Gautama in northern India.
Spanish, French, Hindi and English belong to which language family?
All are Indo-European languages.
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