What Is Culture? | Definition of Culture
Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a
particular group of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social
habits, music and arts.
According to the Center
for Advance Research on Language Acquisition goes a step
further, defining culture as shared patterns of behaviors and interactions,
cognitive constructs and understanding that are learned by socialization. Thus,
it can be seen as the growth of a group identity fostered by social patterns
unique to the group.
"Culture encompasses religion, food, what we
wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right
or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with
loved ones, and a million other things," Cristina De Rossi, an
anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live Science.
The word "culture" derives from a French
term, which in turn derives from the Latin "colere," which means to
tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture. "It shares its
etymology with a number of other words related to actively fostering
growth," De Rossi said.
Western culture
The term "Western culture" has come to
define the culture of European countries as well as those that have been
heavily influenced by European immigration, such as the United
States, according to Khan
University. Western culture has its roots in the Classical Period of
the Greco-Roman era and the rise of Christianity in the 14th century.
Other drivers of Western culture include Latin,
Celtic, Germanic and Hellenic ethnic and linguistic groups. Today, the
influences of Western culture can be seen in almost every country in the world.
Eastern culture
Eastern culture generally refers to the societal norms
of countries in Far East Asia (including China,
Japan, Vietnam, North Korea and South Korea) and the Indian subcontinent.
Like the West, Eastern culture was heavily influenced by religion during its
early development, but it was also heavily influenced by the growth and
harvesting of rice, according to the book "Pathways to Asian
Civilizations: Tracing the Origins and Spread of Rice and Rice Cultures"
by Dorian Q. Fuller. In general, in Eastern culture there is less of a distinction
between secular society and religious philosophy than there is in the West.
Latin culture
Many of the Spanish-speaking nations are considered
part of the Latin culture, while the geographic region is widespread. Latin
America is typically defined as those parts of the Central America, South
America and Mexico where Spanish or Portuguese are the dominant languages.
Originally, the term "Latin America" was used by French geographers
to differentiate between Anglo and Romance (Latin-based) languages, according
to the University of Texas. While Spain and Portugal are on the European
continent, they are considered the key influences of what is known as Latin
culture, which denotes people using languages derived from Latin, also known as
Romance languages.
Middle Eastern culture
The countries of the Middle East have some but not all
things in common. This is not a surprise, since the area consists of
approximately 20 countries, according to PBS.
The Arabic language is one thing that is common throughout the region; however,
the wide variety of dialect can sometimes make communication difficult.
Religion is another cultural area that the countries of the Middle East have in
common. The Middle East is the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
African culture
The continent of Africa is essential to all cultures.
Human life originated on this continent and began to migrate to other areas of
the world around 60,000 years ago, according to the Natural
History Museum in London. Other researchers, like those from
Estonian Biocentre in Tartu, believe that the first migration may have been
much earlier, as early as 120,000
years ago. Researchers come to these conclusions by studying human
genomes from various cultures to trace their DNA to common ancestors. Fossil
records also factor into some of these theories.
Africa is home to a number of tribes, ethnic and
social groups. One of the key features of this culture is the large number of
ethnic groups throughout the 54 countries on the continent. Nigeria alone has
more than 300
tribes, for example.
Currently, Africa is divided into two cultural groups:
North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. This is because Northwest Africa has
strong ties to Middle East, while Sub-Saharan Africa shares historical,
physical and social characteristics that are very different from North Africa,
according to the University
of Colorado. The harsh environment has been a large factor in the
development of Sub-Saharan Africa culture, as there are a number of languages,
cuisines, art and musical styles that have sprung up among the far-flung
populations.
Constant change
No matter what culture a people are a part of, one
thing is for certain, it will change. "Culture appears to have become key
in our interconnected world, which is made up of so many ethnically diverse
societies, but also riddled by conflicts associated with religion, ethnicity,
ethical beliefs, and, essentially, the elements which make up culture," De
Rossi said. "But culture is no longer fixed, if it ever was. It is
essentially fluid and constantly in motion." This makes it so that it is
difficult to define any culture in only one way.
While change is inevitable, the past should also be
respected and preserved. The United Nations has created a group called The
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to
identify cultural and natural heritage and to conserve and protect it.
Monuments, building and sites are covered by the group's protection, according
to the international treaty, the
Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
This treaty was adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
Cite from Zimmermann,
K. A. (2017, July 12). What Is Culture? | Definition of Culture. Retrieved,
from
https://www.livescience.com/21478-what-is-culture-definition-of-culture.html
