What is Culture?

Pronunciation: \ˈkəl-chər\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English, cultivated land, cultivation, from Anglo-French, from Latin cultura, from cultus, past participle Date: 15th century 1 : cultivation, tillage 2 : the act of developing the intellectual and moral faculties especially by education 3 : expert care and training <beauty culture> 4 a : enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training b : acquaintance with and taste in fine arts, humanities, and broad aspects of science as distinguished from vocational and technical skills 5 a : the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations b : the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or time <popular culture> <southern culture> c : the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization <a corporate culture focused on the bottom line> d : the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic

The collection of beliefs, practices, knowledge, behaviors, social forms, artifacts, attitudes, values, and goals of a group that is transmitted to succeeding generations.

Family, Friends, Education, Government, and Economy How is Culture spread to succeeding generations? Culture is transmitted through Social Institutions, using language. Family, Friends, Education, Religion, Media, Government, and Economy *The language does not have to be written! *As written language is developed, its characteristics become intertwined into material culture!

Cultural Characteristics fall into TWO categories: Material Culture – tangible, can touch them, they are things we take care of… Ex: Artifacts, blanket, money, crest, jewelry, clothing, etc. Non-Material Culture – intangible, cannot touch them, they are things we care about… Ex. Religion, music, rituals, language, etc

What influences the development of these Cultural Characteristics? In short…. Time: When in History or what type of Society: Hunter/Gatherer, Horticultural, Pastoral, Agrarian, Industrial, Post- Ind.  AND… Location: Physical Features, Climate, Proximity to another location or other cultures, etc