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Cultural Diffusion, Language, and Religion

Definition

Cultural diffusion refers to the spread of cultural beliefs, social activities, language or dialects, and religious beliefs from one society to another.

Analogy

Imagine you're at a potluck dinner where everyone brings a dish from their home country. As people try different foods (culture), they learn about ingredients (language) used in those dishes and why certain dishes are made for specific occasions (religion). Over time, they might start incorporating these dishes into their own cooking - this is similar to how cultural diffusion works!

Related terms

Acculturation: The process of adopting the cultural traits or social patterns of another group while still maintaining aspects of original culture.

Assimilation: The process by which a person acquires the social and psychological characteristics of a group; often involves complete immersion into a culture leading to loss of original identity.

Syncretism: The amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought.