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AP Unit 5 Flashcards

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7117144637adage / aphorism/ maxima saying/proverb containing a truth or common wisdom based on an experience0
7117145513apostrophea rhetorical figure in which the speaker directly addresses a person who is dead or absent, an imaginary or nonhuman entity, or a place or concept. Often the object is being personified.1
7117145514conceita startling or unusual comparison developed and expanded through several lines; an extended metaphor2
7117146227humanisma belief that emphasizes faith and optimism in human potential and creativity3
7117146897transcendentalisma movement that emphasizes individual conscience, social reform, and the primacy of intuition in the pursuit of spiritual and moral truths4
7117146898witthe quickness of intellect and the power and talent for saying brilliant comments that surprise and delight by their unexpectedness; the power to comment subtly and pointedly on the foibles of the passing scene5
7117147330rhetorical devicesa technique used to convey a meaning with the goal of persuading the audience from a different perspective6
7117147331parallelismrepeated syntactical similarities used for effect7
7117147771antithesisa rhetorical opposition or contrast of ideas by means of a grammatical arrangement of words, clauses, or sentence that creates perfect balance. i.e. "Float like a butterfly; sting like a bee."8
7117147772didactica tone that is instructive because it provides information for a particular purpose; sometimes used to indicate a condescending tone9
7117147773subtextthe implied meaning that underlies the main meaning of a literary work10
7117149775autobiographyan account of a person's own life11
7117149776objectivitytreatment of a subject in an impersonal/outside view of the event12
7117149966subjectivitytreatment of a subject using the personal/inside view of an observer, typically colored with the observer's emotional responses13
7117151561explicationthe interpretation/analysis of a text14
7117151567syllepsisthe use of a word understood differently in relation to two or more other words. "The ink, like our pig, keeps running out of the pen."15
7117153536sentimenta synonym for view or feeling; also refined and tender emotion in literature16
7117153537rhapsodyan intensely passionate verse or section of verse, usually of love or praise17
7117154893odea lyric poem usually marked by a serious, respectful, and exalted feelings toward the subject18
7117157305parentheticalterm used to describe words that are unnecessary or interrupting the normal syntactical flow of a sentences19

AP Unit 9 Flashcards

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7117695022anastrophe / inversionchange of the natural word order0
7117695023asidea speech (usually a short comment) made by an actor to the audience as though momentarily stepping outside of the action on stage1
7117695024blank versepoetry written in iambic pentameter (usually unrhymed)2
7117695321bombastinflated, pretentious language used for trivial subjects3
7117695322barda poet; in olden times a performer who told heroic stories to musical accompaniment (when capitalized it references Shakespeare)4
7117695591chiasmusa reversal of grammatical structures in successive phrases or clauses i.e "Exalts his enemies, his friends destroys."5
7117695597heroic couplettwo rhyming lines in iambic pentameter; often the last two lines of a sonnet sharing the meaning of the poem6
7117695935coinageneologism; invention of a new word7
7117695936dirgea song for the dead with a tone that is slow, heavy, and melancholy8
7117696207liotesa form of understatement in which the negative of the contrary is used to achieve emphasis or intensity9
7117696208punthe usually humorous use of a word in such a way to suggest two or more meanings10
7117696209invectivea direct verbal assault11
7117696579soliloquya speech spoken by character alone on stage meant to convey the impression that the audience is listening to the character's thoughts (without implying that the character is aware of the audience)12
7117697991sonneta form of verse containing fourteen lines of iambic pentameter using a prescribed rhyme scheme13
7117697992epica narrative poem that tells the adventures of a hero who is larger than life and often considered a legendary figure14
7117697993kenninga device employed in Anglo-Saxon poetry in which the name of an object is replaced by one of its function or qualities i.e "ring giver" for king or "whale road" for ocean15
7117698386caesuraa pause somewhere in the middle of a line of verse, often but not always, marked by punctuation (common in Anglo-Saxon verse)16
7117698678fantasya story containing unreal, imaginary features17
7117699779farcea comedy that contains an extravagant and nonsensical disregard of seriousness, although it may have a serious, scornful purpose18
7117699935black humorthe use of disturbing themes in comedy19

AP French vocabulaire journalistique Flashcards

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4840351071constaterto observe, to find that0
4840353108augmenterto increase1
4840354063la croissancegrowth2
4840354703grimperto climb/rise3
4840355289tandis quewhereas4
4840357096l'HexagoneFrance5
4840366126le Métropolecontinental France (as opposed to overseas territories, etc.)6
4840367076le MidiSouthern France7
4840368858le tauxrate8
4840370213baisserto decrease9
4840372051désormaisfrom now on, from then on10
4840377815d'oùhence/thus11
4840379755au fur et à mesuregradually, little by little, as we go along12
4840382605voireor even; not to mention13
4840384157un sondagesurvey/poll14
4840385060être en hausseto be on the rise15
4840387472remettre en causeto question, to criticize16
4840390967au niveau deas far as X is concerned17
4840395397de mêmesimilarly, likewise18
4840405860un pays en développementa developing country19
4840406827une enquêtean investigation20
4840409053cependanthowever21
4840410325un chercheur / une chercheusea researcher22
4840416497lancerto launch/start/initiate23
4840452486améliorerto improve24
4888459901une étude scientifiquea scientific study25
7838509267toutefoisnonetheless, however26
7838516596les donnéesdata27

AP Unit 12 Terms Flashcards

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6439784073Psychological disorderdefined by four criteria: maladaptive, disturbing to others, unusual, irrational0
6439784074Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disordersreference book that describes the symptoms of everything considered to be a disorder1
6439784075Anxiety disorderscategory including OCD, PTSD, phobias and panic attacks2
6439784076Specific phobiaintense unwarranted fear of a specific situation or object3
6439784077Agoraphobiafear of open, public spaces4
6439784078Social phobiafear of a situation in which one could embarrass oneself in public5
6439784079Generalized anxiety disordercondition where a person experiences constant uneasiness and nervousness6
6439784080Panic disordercondition where a person suffers from acute episodes of intense anxiety7
6439784081Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)condition where persistent thoughts cause someone to feel the need to engage in a particular action8
6439784082Post-traumatic stress disorderinvolves flashbacks or nightmares about a troubling event that cause anxiety9
6439784083Somatoform disordersoccur when a person manifests a psychological problem through physiological symptoms10
6439784084Hypochondriasiscondition where a person has frequent physical complaints for minor illnesses, they believe they are indicative of a more severe illness11
6439784085Conversion disordercondition where a person will report the existence of a severe physical problem, such as blindness or paralysis, and they will in fact be paralyzed.12
6439784086Dissociative disordersinvolve a disruption in conscious process13
6439784087Psychogenic amnesiacondition where a person cannot remember things but no physiological basis for the disruption in memory is found14
6439784088Dissociative identity disordercondition where a person has several personalities rather than one integrated personality15
6439784089Mood or affective disorderscondition where a person experiences extreme or inappropriate emotions16
6439784090Major depressioncommon cold of disorders, characterized by lengthy periods of unhappiness and lethargy17
6439784091Seasonal affective disordercondition where a person experiences depression but only during certain times of the year, most often winter when there is less sunlight18
6439784092Bipolar disordermood disorder involving depressed and manic episodes19
6439784093Schizophrenic disorderscharacterized by disordered, distorted thinking often demonstrated through delusions and/or hallucinations20
6439784094Delusions of persecutionbelief that people are out to get you21
6439784095Delusions of grandeurbelief that you have greater influence and power than you do22
6439784096Disorganized schizophreniaoften have an odd use of language and may display inappropriate emotion23
6439784097Paranoid schizophreniacharacterized by delusions of persecution24
6439784098Catatonic schizophreniaoften engage in odd movements or remain motionless for periods of time25
6439784099Tardive dyskinesiamuscle tremors and stiffness caused by extensive use of anti-psychotic drugs26
6439784100Personality disorderswell-established, maladaptive ways of behaving that negatively affect people's ability to function27
6439784101Antisocial personality disordercondition where a person has little regard for the feelings of others; believe people need to look out for themselves28
6439784102Dependent personality disordercondition where person relies too much on the attention and help of others29
6439784103Paranoid personality disordercondition where a person feels constantly persecuted30
6439784104Narcissistic personality disordercondition where a person sees themselves as the center of the universe31
6439784105Obsessive compulsive personality disordercondition where person is overly concerned with certain thoughts and behaviors, but not debilitated to the extent of someone with OCD32

AP World History Summer Assignment Flashcards

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7150889710B.C.E."Before the Common Era"0
7150889711C.E.Common Era or Current Era1
7150889712abdicateto give up a role in authority or office2
7150889713accessionthe act of coming into the possession of a right, title, office, etc.3
7150889714aestheticconcerned with the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty4
7150889715agrarianany society whose economy is based on producing and maintaining crops and farmland5
7150889716amenitiesa desirable or useful feature or facility of a building or place.6
7150889717anarchya state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority7
7150889718animismthe attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena8
7150889719antiquitythe ancient past, especially the period before the Middle Ages (great age)9
7150889720appeasementto make or preserve peace with a nation, group, or person by giving in to their demands10
7150889721aristocracythe highest class in certain societies, especially those holding hereditary titles or offices11
7150889722asceticisma strict and simple way of living that avoids physical pleasure12
7150889723assimilatetake in (information, ideas, or culture) and understand fully13
7150889724authoritarianfavoring complete obedience or subjection to authority as opposed to individual freedom14
7150889725autocracya system of government by one person with absolute power15
7150889726barbarismabsence of culture and civilization16
7150889727bureaucracy/ bureaucratsa system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by state officials rather than by elected representatives17
7150889728city-statea city that with its surrounding territory forms an independent state18
7150889729civicof or relating to a city or town, especially its administration; municipal19
7150889730classicalof or relating to ancient Greek or Latin literature, art, or culture20
7150889731colonialcharacteristic of a colony or colonies21
7150889732commerceactivities that relate to the buying and selling of goods and services22
7150889733communalconflict) between different communities, especially those having different religions or ethnic origins23
7150889734concubinemistress24
7150889735conscriptioncompulsory enlistment of people in a national service, most often a military service; drafting25
7150889736cosmopolitanfamiliar with and at ease in many different countries and cultures26
7150889737coupa notable or successful stroke or move27
7150889738demography/ demographicdemography is the study of human populations and how they change. demographic is a characteristic used to classify people for statistical purposes, such as age, race, or gender.28
7150889739despota ruler who has total power and who often uses that power in cruel and unfair ways29
7150889740diasporaa large group of people with a similar heritage or homeland who have since moved out to places all over the world30
7150889741dissentto differ in sentiment or opinion, especially from the majority31
7150889742dissidenta person who opposes official policy, especially that of an authoritarian state32
7150889743domestic/domesticatedomesticated is tame, domestic is of or relating to the home.33
7150889744dynasty/dynastica sequence of rulers from the same family, stock, or group34
7150889745edictan official order or proclamation issued by a person in authority35
7150889746egalitarianthe principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.36
7150889747elitea select part of a group that is superior to the rest in terms of ability or qualities37
7150889748emigrateleave one's own country in order to settle permanently in another.38
7150889749epica long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation39
7150889750ethnocentricevaluating other peoples and cultures according to the standards of one's own culture40
7150889751feudalisma social system that existed in Europe during the Middle Ages in which people worked and fought for nobles who gave them protection and the use of land in return41
7150889752genocidethe deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation42
7150889753gentrypeople of good social position, the class of people next below the nobility in position and birth43
7150889754guildassociations of artisans or merchants who control the practice of their craft in a particular town44
7150889755hierarchya system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority45
7150889756hominidsmembers of the family of humans, Hominidae, which consists of all species on our side of the last common ancestor of humans and living apes46
7150889757homogenousof the same kind47
7150889758ideologya system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy48
7150889759imperial/imperialisma policy or practice by which a country increases its power by gaining control over other areas of the world49
7150889760indigenousnative50
7150889761infrastructurestructures, systems, and facilities serving a country, city, or area, including the services and facilities necessary for its economy to function51
7150889762lineageancestry or pedigree52
7150889763linguisticscientific study of language53
7150889764manifestreadily perceived by the eye or the understanding; obvious54
7150889765maritimeconnected with the sea55
7150889766martialwarlike56
7150889767matrilinealkinship with the mother or the female line57
7150889768mercenarya soldier who is paid by a foreign country to fight in its army58
7150889769monarchyA system of government in which one person reigns, usually a king or queen. The authority, or crown, in a monarchy is generally inherited.59
7150889770monopoly/monopolizecomplete control of the entire supply of goods or of a service in a certain area or market60
7150889771monotheismbelief that there is only one God61
7150889772mysticalmystics or religious mysticism62
7150889773nation-statea sovereign state whose citizens or subjects are relatively homogeneous in factors such as language or common descent63
7150889774neonew64
7150889775NeolithicNew Stone Age65
7150889776nomadicanything that involves moving around a lot66
7150889777oligarchya small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution67
7150889778pantheonall the gods of a people or religion collectively68
7150889779papal/papacythe office or authority of the pope69
7150889780parliament/parliamentary systema system of government having the real executive power vested in a cabinet composed of members of the legislature who are individually and collectively responsible to the legislature70
7150889781pastoralconcerning or appropriate to the giving of spiritual guidance71
7150889782patriarchalcharacteristic of a system of society or government controlled by men72
7150889783patrilinealrelationship to the father or descent through the male line73
7150889784patronagethe support given by a patron74
7150889785peasantA farmer or agricultural worker of low status75
7150889786pharaoha ruler in ancient Egypt76
7150889787piety/piousPiety: the quality of being religious or reverent Pious: devoutly religious77
7150889788polityany kind of political entity78
7150889789polygamythe custom of having more than one wife or husband at the same time79
7150889790polytheismbelief in more than one god80
7150889791proselytizeto induce someone to convert to one's faith81
7150889792provinciala province of a country or empire82
7150889793regenta person who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign83
7150889794republica government having a chief of state who is not a monarch and who in modern times is usually a president84
7150889795rhetoric/rhetoricalRhetoric: the art of speaking or writing effectively Rhetorical: concerned with the art of rhetoric85
7150889796sedentarytending to spend much time seated86
7150889797serfan agricultural laborer bound under the feudal system to work on his lord's estate87
7150889798Shariathe religious legal system governing the members of the Islamic faith88
7150889799Sinificationterm used for the spread of Chinese culture89
7150889800statea nation or territory90
7150889801steppea large area of flat unforested grassland in southeastern Europe or Siberia91
7150889802stratificationthe state of having many layers92
7150889803Sub-Saharanfrom or forming part of the African regions south of the Sahara desert93
7150889804subordinatelower in rank or position94
7150889805successiona number of people or things sharing a specified characteristic and following one after the other95
7150889806syncretismthe combination of different forms of belief or practice96
7150889807textilesa type of cloth or woven fabric97
7150889808theocracya government of a state by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided98
7150889809theologyhe study of the nature of God and religious belief99
7150889810totalitariancontrolling the people of a country in a very strict way with complete power that cannot be opposed100
7150889811tributary statea state that is subordinate to a more powerful neighbour101
7150889812tyrannycruel and oppressive government or rule102
7150889813urban/urbanizecharacteristic of a city or town103
7150889814usurptake (a position of power or importance) illegally or by force104
7150889815vernacularthe language or dialect spoken by the ordinary people in a particular country or region105

AP Language Vocab for Exam Flashcards

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5774810065AcumenKeen insight, shrewdness0
5774810066HubrisExcessive pride or self confidence1
5774810067InfrastructureThe basic facilities, services, and installation2
5774810068ChicaneryDeception by trickery3
5774810069JejuneNaive, simplistic, dry and uninteresting or lacking in maturity; childish4
5774810070LoquaciousTending to talk a great deal, talkative5
5774810071FecklessLacking initiative, irresponsible6
5774810072ExpurgateRemove matter often thought to be objectionable or unsuitable from a book or account7
5774810073CircumnavigateSail all the way around, avoid dealing with8
5774810074InculcateTo teach by frequent repetition or instill by persistent instruction9
5774810075EnfranchiseTo set free, to liberate, to grant a franchise to especially in the right of voting10
5774810076KowtowTo kneel and touch the forehead to the ground and expression of respect worship or submission11
5774810077BowdlerizeTo expurgate by removing or modifying passages considered vulgar or objectionable12
5774810078BellicoseInclined or eager to fight, hostile13
5774810079DeleteriousInjurious to health or harmful14
5774810080ChurlishRude in a mean-spirited way15
5774810081HegemonyLeadership or dominance especially by one country or social group over others16
5774810082EnervateTo deprive a force or strength; to weaken17
5774810083LugubriousMournful, gloomy, especially to an exaggerated degree18
5774810084LexiconA dictionary or a stock of terms used in a particular profession19
5774810085InterpolateTo insert or introduce between other elements or parts, like a text or a conversation20
5774810086AuspiciousPromising success, favorable, favored by fortune, prosperous21
5774810087MoietyA part, portion, or share of; in anthropology, a moiety is a descent group that coexist with only one other descent group within a society22
5774810088NihilistThe rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless23

AP Language and Composition Devices Flashcards

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9965053460AllegoryA story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning, typically a moral or political one.0
9965053461AlliterationThe repetition of sounds, especially initial consonants in two or more neighboring words1
9965053462AllusionA direct or indirect reference to something which is presumably commonly known, such as an event, book, myth, place, or work of art. Can be historical, literary, religious, topical, or mythical.2
9965053463AmbiguityThe multiple meanings, either intentional or unintentional, of a word, phrase, sentence, or passage.3
9965053464AnadiplosisThe repetition of the last word of one clause at the beginning of the following clause. "Men in great place are thrice servants: servants of the sovereign or state; servants of fame; and servants of business." ~ Francis Bacon4
9965053465AnalogyA similarity or comparison between two different things or the relationship between them.5
9965053466AnaphoraOne of the devices of repetition, in which the same expression (word or words) is repeated at the beginning of two or more lines, clauses, or sentences. "Careful the things you say, children will listen. Careful the things you do, children will see, and learn" ~ Into the Woods6
9965053467Anecdotea short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.7
9965053468antanaclasisRepetition of a word in two different senses. If we do not hang together, we will hang separately.8
9965053469AntecedentThe word, phrase, or clause referred to by a pronoun.9
9965053470antecedent-consequence relationshipThe relationship expressed by "if...then" reasoning10
9965053471antimetaboleThe repetition of words in successive clauses in reverse grammatical order. One should eat to live, not live to eat.11
9965053472antithesisThe juxtaposition of contrasting ideas in balanced phrases.12
9965053473aposropheThe direct address of an absent person or personified object as if he/she/it is able to reply. "O' Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?" ~ William Shakespeare13
9965053474appositiveA noun or noun phrase that follows another noun immediately or defines or amplifies its meaning. The sky, gray and gloomy as usual, carried the faint scent of dusty rain in its breeze.14
9965053475Aristotelian triangleA diagram showing the relations of writer or speaker, audience (reader or listener), and text in a rhetorical situation.15
9965053476canonOne of the traditional elements of rhetorical composition -- invention, arrangement, style, memory, or delivery.16
9965053477chiasmusInvolves the repetition of similar concepts within a repeated and inverted grammatical structure, but not necessarily the repetition of the same words. *Similar to antimetabole, but for this device, only grammatical structure need be reversed, not necessarily the words. "So the last will be first, and the first last" Matthew 20:16 *(also an antimetabole) "Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live." ~ Socrates *(not an antimetabole)17
9965053478deductive reasoningReasoning that begins with a general principle and concludes with a specific instance that demonstrates the general principle. Gravity makes things fall. The apple that hit my head was due to gravity.18
9965053479denotationThe direct or dictionary meaning of a word, in contrast to its figurative or associated meanings.19
9965053480diction(1) The choice and use of words in speech or writing. (2) A way of speaking usually assessed in terms of prevailing standards of pronunciation and elocution.20
9965053481didacticIntended or inclined to teach or instruct, often excessively.21
9965053482dramatic narrationA narrative in which the reader or viewer does not have access to the unspoken thoughts of any character.22
9965053483dynamic characterOne who changes during the course of the narrative.23
9965053484encomiumA tribute or eulogy in prose or verse glorifying people, objects, ideas, or events.24
9965053485epiphoraThe repetition of a word or phrase at the end of several clauses.25
9965053486euphemismAn indirect expression of unpleasant information in such way as to lesson its impact. casualties = deaths from a war26
9965053487inductive reasoningA method of reasoning by which a rhetor collects a number of instances and forms a generalization that is meant to apply to all instances.27
9965053488invectiveDenunciatory or abusive language; discourse that casts blame on somebody or something.28
9965053489ironyThe use of words to convey the opposite of their literal meaning. A statement or situation where the meaning is directly contradicted by the appearance or presentation of the idea.29
9965053490isocolonA succession of phrases of approximately equal length and corresponding structure. I came, I saw, I conquered. ~ Julius Caesar30
9965053491litoteA figure of speech consisting of an understatement in which an affirmative is expressed by negating its opposite. The food wasn't awful.31
9965053492loose sentenceA sentence structure in which a main clause is followed by subordinate phrases and clauses. I knew I had found a friend in the woman, who herself was a lonely soul, never having known the love of man or child. ~Emma Goldman32
9965053493metonymyAn entity referred to by one of its attributes or associations. "The press" for the news media.33
9965053494onomatopoeiaA literary device in which the sound of a word is related to its meaning34
9965053495paralipsisIrony in which one proposes to pass over a matter, but subtly reveals it. "She is talented, not to mention rich."35
9965053496parallelismA set of similarly structured words, phrases, or clauses that appears in a sentence or paragraph.36
9965053497synecdocheA figure of speech in which a part is used to represent the whole or the whole for a part. The word "wheels" refers to a vehicle.37
9965053498syntaxThe order of words in a sentence.38
9965053499tautologyA group of words that merely repeats the meaning already conveyed. If you don't get any better, then you'll never improve.39
9965053500tropeAn artful variation from expected modes of expression of thoughts and ideas.40
9965053501unreliable narratorAn untrustworthy or naïve commentator on events and characters in a story.41
9965053502verisimilitudeThe quality of a text that reflects the truth of actual experience.42
9965053503zeugmaA trope in which one word, usually a noun or the main verb, governs two other words not related in meaning. He governs his will and his kingdom.43

AP Human Geography: Language Flashcards

Language

Terms : Hide Images
6977568561AccentA distinctive mode of pronunciation of a language, especially one associated with a particular nation, locality, or social class.0
6977568562DialectA regional variation of a language distinguished by vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation, particular to a specific region or social group.1
6977568563Extinct LanguageA language that no longer has any speakers, or that is no longer in current use.2
6977568564IdeogramA written character symbolizing the idea of a thing without indicating the sounds used to say it. Used in Mandarin (Chinese)3
6977568565IsoglossA geographic boundary line delimiting the area in which a given linguistic feature occurs.4
6977568566Isolated LanguageA natural language with no demonstrable genealogical (or "genetic") relationship with other languages or language families; that is, one that has not been demonstrated to descend from an ancestor common with any other language. i.e A language family with only one language. (Basque)5
6977568567Language BranchA Subsection of a Language Family. Differences are not as extensive or old as with language families. i.e The Romance "-------" of the Indo-European language family.6
6977568568LanguageThe method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way.7
6977568569Language GroupA Collection of languages within a branch that share a common origin in the relatively recent past and display relatively few differences in grammar and vocabulary. An individual language, including all dialects (I.e. Italian, German, English)8
6977568570Language FamilyA collection of languages related to each other through a common ancestor long before recorded history. The trunk of the language tree, from which language branches come from.9
6977568571Indo European language familyLargest language family that includes English and most other languages in the Western Hemisphere. Also used in South and Southwest Asia. Includes the Germanic branch, Indo-Iranian branch, Balto-Slavic branch, and Romance branch.10
6977568572Sino-Tibetan Language Family2nd largest language family. Includes Madarin, Thai, Cantonese and Burmese11
6977568573Lingua FrancaA Language mutually understood and commonly used in trade by people who have different native languages (currently English worldwide).12
6977568574Literary TraditionA Language that is written as well as spoken.13
6977568575Monolingual StateA country in which only one language is spoken (i.e. Japan, Korea)14
6977568576BilingualThe ability to speak two languages.15
6977568577Multilingual StateA country in which more than one language is in use (India, Nigeria, Belgium, Switzerland)16
6977568578Official LanguageThe language adopted for use by the government for the conduct of business and publication of documents, a language that is given special legal status.17
6977568579OrthographyThe conventional spelling system of a language.18
6977568580Pidgin LanguageA Form of speech that adopts a simplified grammar and limited vocabulary of a lingua franca, used for communications among speakers of two different languages.19
6977568581Standard LanguageThe specific form of a language used for official government business, education, and mass communications.20
6977568582ToponymThe name of a place, often reflecting that place's history and culture.21
6977568583VernacularUsing a language or dialect native to a region or country rather than a literary, cultured, or foreign language. It is usually the language of the common people.22
6977568584CreoleA language that results from the mixing of a colonizer's language with the indigenous language of the people being dominated. Developed out of an earlier pidgin stage.23
6977568585DenglishThe term is used in all German-speaking countries to refer to the increasingly strong influx of English or pseudo-English vocabulary into German.24
6977568586FranglaisA form of French using many words and idioms borrowed from English.25
6977568587EbonicsA dialect of English spoken by some African Americans.26
6977568588SpanglishA hybrid language combining words and idioms from both Spanish and English, especially Spanish speech that uses many English words and expressions.27
6977568589FrancophonePlaces and countries where French is spoken around the world. (Quebec in Canada, Vietnam, Haiti, Sub-Saharan Africa, Belgium, Switzerland, France).28
6977568590HankulThe system of writing Korean is written in. In this system, each letter represents a sound.29
6977568591Romance BranchA language branch of the Indo-European Language Family. This branch includes languages that evolved from Latin (the language of the Romans). The 5 main languages include: Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, and Romanian.30
6977568592Germanic BranchA language branch of the Indo-European Language Family. This branch is divided into North and West Germanic. North Germanic includes Scandinavian languages (Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic), which all came from Old Norse. West Germanic is further divided into High Germanic and Low Germanic subgroups. High German includes the standard German language. Low German includes English, Dutch, Flemish (Dialect of Dutch), Afrikaaans, and Frisian.31
6977568593Indo-Iranian BranchThe branch of the Indo-European language family with the most speakers. This branch includes more than 100 individual languages divided into an eastern group (Indic), which includes the languages of Hinid and Urdu and a western group (Iranian), which includes Farsi and Kurdish.32
6977568594Balto-Slavic BranchThis branch of the Indo-European language family can be broken down into four groups: East Slavic (Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian), Baltic (Latvian, Lithuanian), West Slavic (Polish, Czech, and Slovak), and South Slavic (Serbo-Croatian). Russian is the most widely used language in this branch, due to the spread of the Soviet Union.33
6977568595Celtic BranchA language branch of the Indo-European Language Family. This branch includes the languages of the British Isles before the invasion of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. This branch is divided into two language groups: Goidelic(Gaelic), which includes Irish Gaelic and Scottish Gaelic, and Brythonic, which includes Welsh, Breton, and Cornish. These languages declined because the Celts lost most of their territory and the English colonizers forbid the use of the Celtic languages.34
6977568596Uralic Language FamilyLanguage Family in Europe that includes the languages of Estonian, Finnish, and Hungarian. Languages in this family originated from the Ural mountains in Russia, spreading through migration.35
6977568597Austronesian Language FamilyLanguage Family spoken mostly in Indonesia. This family includes the languages of Javanese, Indonesian, Malay, and Malagasy. The most spoken language in this family is Javanese, since Java is the populous island of Indonesia. The Indonesian language is used as a lingua franca in Indonesia, due to so many different native languages (739 active languages). Malay is spoken in Malaysia, Malagasy is spoken in Madagascar.36
6977568598Afro-Asiatic Language FamilyThis language family is found in northern Africa and southwestern Asia (Middle East), where Islam is the dominant religion. This family includes the languages of Arabic and Hebrew. Hebrew is spoken in Israel, a Jewish state, and Arabic is spoken throughout the region since it is the language of the Koran, the Islamic holy book.37
6977568599Niger-Congo Language FamilyMore than 95% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa speak languages from this family. This family includes Swahili, the lingua franca in Africa, used by many to communicate as a second language, due to so many different native languages.38
6977568600Prehistoric SubgroupA language that predates the current language family, before the written record. Ex: Proto-Indo-European39
6977568601Altaic Language FamilyA language family spoken across central Asia named after the Altai Mountains. The most spoken language in this family is Turkish. The family also includes the languages spoken in the Caucasus Region and across Central Asia, previously controlled by the Soviet Union. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, newly independent countries in these regions reverted to their native languages in this family, including the countries of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Georgia.40
6977568602Kurgan TheoryProposed by Marija Gimbutas, this theory argues the Proto-Indo-European language diffused by military conquest as nomadic herders on horseback (Kurgans) invaded west from the Asian Steppe ( border between Russia and Kazakhstan) around 4300 B.C in search of grasslands.41
6977568603Renfrew (Anatolian) TheoryProposed by Colin renfrew, this theory argues the Proto-Indo-European language diffused by way of agriculktural practices from Anatolia (Turkey) in 6300 BC.42
6977568604British Received Pronunciation (BRP)The dialect of English associated with upper class Britons living in the London area now considered the standard form of British speech.43
6977568605Language DivergenceWhen a lack of spatial interaction (isolation) among speakers of a language breaks the language into dialects and then new languages.44
6977568606Language ConvergenceWhen peoples with different languages have consistent spatial interaction and their languages collapse into one (i.e. pidgin and creole).45
6977568607Backward ReconstructionWhen linguists track sound shifts and the hardening of consonants backward to reveal an "original" language.46
6977568608Sound ShiftSlight word change in language within the subfamilies and language family from present time, backward to its origin (i.e: lacte in Latin, latta in Italian).47
6977568609Treaty of TordesillasPope Alexander VI's 1493 decision that officially split the New World into two empires, with Spain getting the West and Portugal the East.48
6977568610HindiApproximately one-third of Indians, mostly in the north, use this Indic language. This language can be spoken in many different ways, but there is only one official way to write the language, using a script called Devanagari. It serves as the lingua franca in India and is used by the government, growing into a national language in the nineteenth century when the British encouraged its use in government. It is part of the Indo-Iranian branch.49
6977568611SwahiliThe lingua franca in Africa, used by many to communicate as a second language, due to so many different native languages. This language was developed between African and Arab traders and is one for the few African languages with extensive literature. It is part of the Niger-Congo language family.50
6977568612UrduPakistan's principal language, spoken very much like Hindi but written with the Arabic alphabet, a legacy of the fact that most Pakistanis are Muslims, and their holiest book (the Quran) is written in Arabic. It is part of the Indo-Iranian branch.51
6977568613FarsiThe principle language of Iran, a remnant of the Persian Empire. It is written with the Arabic alphabet since Iran is a Muslim country. This language is part of the Indo-Iranian branch.52
6977568614MandarinThis language is the most spoken language in the world. It is spoken by approximately three-fourths of the Chinese people, and is used by the Chinese government. There is no single Chinese language. Instead of letters, Chinese languages use ideograms (characters) that mostly represent concepts rather than sounds.53
6977568615ArabicThis language serves as a unifying force in the Middle East (Northern Africa and Southwest Asia), typically referred to as the Arab World. This language is the language of Islam (used in the Koran),, which is predominant throughout the region. This language belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family and is the official language in two dozen countries of North Africa and southwestern Asia, from Morocco to the Arabian Peninsula.54
6977568616HebrewThis language was an extinct language that has been revived. It diminished in use in the fourth century B.C. and was thereafter retained only for Jewish religious services. When Israel was established in 1948, this language became one of the new country's two official languages, along with Arabic. This language was chosen to unify the Jews of Israel and give them a sense of nationalism, since Israel was created by Jewish refugees and migrants who spoke many different languages. Reviving this language required the creation of many new words for the modern world.55
6977568617Irish GaelicThis is one of the two official languages of Ireland, along with English. This language was forbidden under English rule. When Ireland got their independence form England in 1922, this language became an important part of their cultural identity and sense of nationalism and became a compulsory course in all public schools and required for public service jobs.56
6977568618BasqueAlso known as Euskera, this isolated language predates the Indo-European language and is not related to any other language family in Europe. Spoken in the Pyrenees Mountains (between Spain and France), the mountainous homeland created isolation, making the preservation of the language possible.57
6977568619WelshThis is one of the two official languages of Wales, along with English. This language was forbidden under English rule, but has been revived in recent years. This language is a compulsory subject in all schools in Wales and knowledge of the language is now required for many jobs in Wales. Bilingual signs and television and radio programs have also been added to help preserve this language.58
6977568620InuktitutThe language spoken by the Inuits (indigenous tribe) of northern Canada. It is recognized as an official language, along with English and French in Nunavut, the Inuit territory of Canada. Similar to the Celtic languages, it has declined with the forces of globalization and is undergoing a revival since it is an important part of the Inuit culture and is taught in schools and represented on bilingual signs and in the government.59
6977568621GlobalizationThe process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence and operate on an international scale. Currently, America dominates the world with multinational corporations and media, which has made English the world's current lingua franca (international language of business).60
6977568622QuebecThis province in Canada primarily speaks French, due to its history of colonization. As a result, Canada is officially bilingual, recognizing both English and French as official languages.61
6977568623Vulgar LatinThis language was spoken by the Roman army at the time of occupation and is the basis of the Romance languages, which evolved out of this language overtime due to isolation.62
6977568624Latin AmericaThis region of the Americas primarily speaks Romance Languages, which derived from Latin. Brazil speaks Portuguese, Haiti and French Guiana speak French, while the majority of the other countries speak Spanish, all due to the patterns of colonization.63
6977568625BelgiumThis multilingual state in Europe, which is part of the francophone world, has experienced tensions between its two language groups. The Flemings live in the north province Flanders and speak Flemish, a Dutch dialect. The Walloons live in the south province Wallonia and speak French. Brussels, the capital city if officially bilingual to create a since of unity in the country. Antagonism between the Flemings and Walloons is aggravated by economic and political differences. Historically, the Walloons dominated Belgium's economy and politics and French was the official state language.64
6977568626SwitzerlandThis multilingual state in Europe, which is part of the francophone world, remains peaceful with four official languages (German, French, Italian, and Romanish). This country has institutionalized cultural diversity by creating a form of government that places considerable power in local, small communities (Decenetralization).65

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