Definition: Any considerable and connected part of a space or surface; specifically, a tract of land or sea of considerable but indefinite extent; a country; a district; in a broad sense, a place without special reference to location or extent but viewed as an entity for geographical, social or cultural reasons.
Alright class, settle down, let’s take a look!
Today we're tackling the word 'region,' and it’s a bit more layered than you might think. The dictionary gives us a big mouthful of definitions, so let’s break it down piece by piece, shall we?
Essentially, "region" means a
part
– a significant part – of something bigger. Think of it like a puzzle; each region is a piece that fits into the whole picture.
Let's look at those different ways the dictionary describes it:
“Any considerable and connected part of a space or surface…”
– This means a big chunk! Like, a large area of land or water - maybe the Amazon rainforest, or the Baltic Sea. It needs to be noticeable and linked together somehow.
“…a tract of land or sea of considerable but indefinite extent...”
– "Tract" just means a piece or strip. And "indefinite extent” means it doesn't have a precise edge - it’s not perfectly defined. It could be quite large, but the boundaries aren’t always clear-cut.
“A country; a district…”
– Now we're talking about smaller regions! Like France or a particular county within a larger state.
"...in a broad sense, a place without special reference to location or extent but viewed as an entity for geographical, social or cultural reasons.”
- This is the
key
part, class! Sometimes, we group places together not just because they’re physically close, but because they share similar things. Think about the American Southwest – it's a region based on its culture and history, even though the states within it might be quite different geographically.
So, to put it simply:
A region is an area that has some kind of connection - whether it’s physical (like a mountain range), or social/cultural (like a group of people with shared traditions).
Does that make sense? Now, who can give me an example of a region and
why
they think it's considered a region? Don’t be shy!