Tea if by sea, cha if by land

4/14/2018

This article presents an interactive map that visually illustrates how the word for "tea" spread across different languages and cultures around the world. It explores the two main linguistic streams of the word for tea: 'te' and 'cha'. The map showcases the origins of these terms and their routes of diffusion, highlighting how they spread through land and sea trade routes to conquer different regions. The article discusses the various theories behind the origin of these terms and the historical context of tea's global dissemination. It provides an engaging and informative exploration of the cultural and linguistic impact of tea on different societies.

tea history ꞏ global trade ꞏ cultural diffusion ꞏ linguistic evolution ꞏ beverage culture ꞏ tea drinking ꞏ tea cultivation ꞏ tea production ꞏ tea varieties ꞏ tea consumption ꞏ global commerce ꞏ cultural exchange ꞏ historical trade routes ꞏ cultural influence ꞏ tea traditions ꞏ tea ceremony ꞏ cultural anthropology ꞏ cultural transmission ꞏ cultural globalization ꞏ globalization ꞏ economic history ꞏ colonialism ꞏ cultural assimilation ꞏ international relations ꞏ cultural interaction ꞏ linguistic borrowings ꞏ international trade ꞏ cultural identity ꞏ cultural heritage ꞏ cross-cultural connections ꞏ historical migration ꞏ world history ꞏ cultural integration