Village | Define Village at Dictionary.com village noun 1. a small community or group of houses in a rural area, larger than a hamlet and usually smaller than a town, and sometimes (as in parts of the U.S.) incorporated as a municipality. 2. the inhabitants of such a community collectively. 3. a group of animal dwellings resembling a village: a gopher village. of, relating to, or characteristic of a village: village life. 1350-1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin villāticum, neuter of villāticus villatic . See -age Related forms The, a city in central Oklahoma. Dictionary.com Unabridged Examples from the Web for village Expand Contemporary Examples Historical Examples The village was about six miles above the entrance of the Illinois into the Mississippi River. The mass in the village church satisfied the religious instinct. Society Henry Kalloch Rowe British Dictionary definitions for village Expand a small group of houses in a country area, larger than a hamlet 2. the inhabitants of such a community collectively 3. an incorporated municipality smaller than a town in various parts of the US and Canada 4. a group of habitats of certain animals 5.

(NZ) a self-contained city area having its own shops, etc 6. (modifier) of, relating to, or characteristic of a village: a village green Derived Forms C15: from Old French, from ville farm, from Latin: villa Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for village Expand n. late 14c., "inhabited place larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town," from Old French village "houses and other buildings in a group" (usually smaller than a town), from Latin villaticum "farmstead" (with outbuildings), noun use of neuter singular of villaticus "having to do with a farmstead or villa," from villa "country house" (see villa ). Village idiot is recorded from 1907.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper City | Cities Wikia | Fandom powered by Wikia [ show ] Introduction A city usually consists of residential, industrial and business areas together with administrative functions which may relate to a wider geographical area. A large share of a city's area is generally taken up by houses, roads, and streets. Lakes and rivers may be the only undeveloped areas within the city. "The city is a human habitat that allows people to form relations with others at various levels of intimacy while remaining entirely anonymous." (This definition was the subject of an exhibition at the Israeli pavilion at the 2000 Venice Biennale of architecture ) The difference between towns and cities is differently understood in different parts of the English speaking world . There is no one standard international definition of a city: the term may be used either for a town possessing city status; for an urban locality exceeding an arbitrary population size; for a town dominating other towns with particular regional economic or administrative significance.

Although city can refer to an agglomeration including suburban and satellite areas, the term is not appropriate for a conurbation (cluster) of distinct urban places, nor for a wider metropolitan area including more than one city, each acting as a focus for parts of the area. In the United Kingdom , a city is a town which has been known as a city since time immemorial , or which has received city status by royal charter — which is normally granted on the basis of size, importance or royal connection (traditional pointers have been whether the town has a cathedral or a university ). Some cathedral cities, for example St. David's in Wales , are quite small, and may not be known as cities in common parlance. (See the list of cities in the United Kingdom .) A similar system existed in the medieval Low Countries where a landlord would grant settlements certain privileges ( city rights ) that settlements without city rights didn't have. This include the privilege to put up city walls, hold markets or set up a judicial court . In Australia and New Zealand , city is used to refer both to units of local government, and as a synonym for urban area.

For instance the City of South Perth is part of the urban area known as Perth , commonly described as a city. On the other hand, Gisborne in New Zealand is known as the first city to see the sun, despite being administered by a district council, not a city council. An interesting phenomenon in American English is the generalisation of the term city to all settlements . Britons may be bemused by forms with fields headed, not Town and Postal code , but City and ZIP, even though the person needing to fill it in could be living in a city, a town without city status, or even a village or hamlet. In turn, many Americans often talk of "City Halls" when referring to town halls in quite small European towns and villages. A possible reason for this phenomenon is that, when America was colonised, settlers enthusiastically gave the name "city" to their new settlements, predicting (rightly or wrongly) they would become great cities. For example, Salt Lake City was a village of 148 people who immediately laid out street plans and founded Great Salt Lake City (originally named for the nearby Great Salt Lake ). A century and a half later, it actually is city-sized.

Strangely, even though Americans are well aware that "village" means something smaller than a town, the word has often been co-opted by enterprising developers to make their projects sound welcoming and friendly. The result are so-called villages with 20 and 30-story high-rises, like Westwood Village in Los Angeles. Geography File:Haarlem-City-Map-1550.jpg The geographies of cities are diverse. Often cities will either be coastal and have a harbour or be situated near a river giving economic advantage. Water transports on rivers and oceans were (and in most cases still are) cheaper and more efficient than road transport over long distances. The kernels of older European cities, which have not been extensively rebuilt, tend to have city centres where the streets are jumbled together, often seemingly without a structural plan. This is a legacy of earlier unplanned or organic development. Today this is usually perceived by tourists to be picturesque. Modern city planning has seen many different schemes for how a city should look. The most commonly seen pattern is the grid , almost a rule in parts of the United States , and used for thousands of years in China .

Derry was the first ever planned city in Ireland, begun in 1613 , with the walls being completed 5 years later in 1618 . The central diamond within a walled city with four gates was thought to be a good design for defence. The grid pattern chosen was subsequently much copied in the colonies of British North America [1] . Other forms may include a radial structure in which main roads converge on a central point, often the effect of successive growth over long time with concentric traces of town walls and citadels - recently supplemented by ring-roads that take traffic around the edge of a town. Many Dutch cities are structured that way: a central square surrounded by a concentric canals. Every city expansion would imply a new circle (canals + town walls). In cities like Amsterdam and Haarlem this pattern is still clearly visible. History of cities Towns and cities have a long history, although opinions vary on whether any particular ancient settlement can be considered to be a city. The first true towns are sometimes considered to be large settlements where the inhabitants were no longer simply farmers of the surrounding area, but began to take on specialised occupations, and where to trade, food storage and power was centralized.

Societies that live in cities are often called civilizations . By this definition, the first towns we know of were located in Mesopotamia , such as Ur , and along the Nile , the Indus Valley Civilisation and China . Before this time it was rare for settlements to reach significant size, although there were exceptions such as Jericho , Çatalhöyük and Mehrgarh . The growth of ancient and medieval empires led to ever greater capital cities and seats of provincial administration, with Rome , its eastern successor Constantinople and successive Chinese and later Indian capitals approaching or exceeding the half-million population level (it is estimated that Rome 's population exceeded one million people by the middle of the last century BCE, becoming the only city to reach that number until the Industrial Revolution ). Similar large administrative, comercial, industrial and ceremonial centres emerged in other areas, though on a smaller scale. During the European Middle Ages , a town was as much a political entity as a collection of houses. City residence brought freedom from customary rural obligations to lord and community: "Stadtluft macht frei" ("City air makes you free") was a saying in Germany.

In Continental Europe cities with a legislature of their own wasn't unheard of, the laws for towns as a rule other than for the countryside, the lord of a town often being another than for surrounding land. In the Holy Roman Empire (i.e. medieval Germany and Italy) some cities had no other lord than the emperor. In exceptional cases like Venice , Genoa or Lübeck , cities themselves became powerful states, sometimes taking surrounding areas under their control or establishing extensive maritime empires. Similar phenomena existed elsewhere, as in the case of Sakai , which enjoyed a considerable autonomy in late medieval Japan. Most towns remained far smaller places, so that in 1500 only some two dozen places in the world contained more than 100,000 inhabitants: as late as 1700 there were fewer than forty, a figure which would rise thereafter to 300 in 1900 . A small city of the early modern period might contain as few as 10,000 inhabitants, a town far fewer still.

While the city-states , or poleis , of the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea languished from the 16th century , Europe's larger capitals benefited from the growth of commerce following the emergence of an Atlantic economy fuelled by the silver of Peru . By the 18th century , London and Paris rivalled the well-developed regionally-traditional capital cities of Baghdad , Beijing , Istanbul , Kyoto and Venice . The growth of modern industry from the late 18th century onward led to massive urbanization and the rise of new great cities, first in Europe and then in other regions, as new opportunities brought huge numbers of migrants from rural communities into urban areas. Today the world's population is about half urban, with millions still streaming annually into the growing cities of Asia , Africa and Latin America . Modern conceptions Traditional approach A universal linear approach to cities has been in place and accepted for a long time. As this approach falls short of explaining a number of aspects of city life, such as the diversity between cities, new ways have been sought. Influenced by post-structuralist thinking a new approach was born: using spatial thinking it is possible to not only fill the gaps, but indeed replace the old completely.

Three characteristics have been identified as defining a city: the number of people to area (density), the networks of the city, as well as a particular way of life. None of these characteristics alone is enough to make a place a city. Until recently cities were almost exclusively viewed as part of a single, linear line of development. Starting with the Greek city-state, this linear approach placed each city somewhere, and it was believed that it was only a matter of time until the next stage along the prescript path of advancement was reached. For each stage an exemplar was identified. Step by step from Athens onwards to Venice and London , Los Angeles seemed to be the ultimate stage of a postmodern city. Such an approach regarded a city as a single static entity, which could be studied disconnected in time and space. This leads to a theoretical framework with little connection to real cities, but these were simply seen as less clear examples. In spite of apparent shortcomings, this approach is still very commonplace in respected and popular publications. Shortcomings Despite its wide acceptance this traditional approach to cities had serious shortcomings. Firstly, leaving the latest stage aside, it was completely eurocentric.

It was believed that every city in the world could be compared with a past stage in the history of one European city. Secondly, there was no real explanation when and how changes occurred, how another stage in the line of development was achieved. There seemed no need to follow the changes of one city, but instead attention was turned to another exemplar. Thirdly, the disconnected view of cities is problematic. It implies that history, culture and connections of a place do not influence a place, which is questionable. Some thinkers argue that a history ignoring connections is necessary incomplete. Fourthly, the traditional approach missed to define what makes a city. It is unclear why one place is regarded as a city while another one is not. Lewis Mumford argued in 1937 for a social dimension, describing cities as geographical plexuses. Finally, viewing cities as a single body misses modern conceptions that there is more than one story to a place. The city of an aristocrat will surely differ from that of a slave . This also reflects a shift away from one single history of the powerful élites (often referred to as city élites) to a multidimensional perception of history. The notion of city rhythms has been introduced to highlight the different aspects of city life...

The term city can be used to mean either an area of contiguous urbanization or a particular municipality (an area within the political borders of an incorporated municipality ). There is a substantial variation in municipalities around the world. The largest municipality, Chongqing, is approximately the same size as the state of Indiana and contains much more rural territory than continuous urbanization. In most cases, however, the continuous urbanization popularly thought of as the city extends well beyond the boundaries of the core incorporated city. Modern approach As a modern approach to cities, urban thinking analyzes various issues that arise in urban areas. It focuses largely upon connections and internal divisions which helps create a better understanding of the dynamics of cities. Using such spatial thinking, it is possible to understand various aspects for which the traditional approach did not provide an adequate explanation. One important aspect of spatial thinking is looking at the connections of a city. Such connections allow one to understand the unique character of a place. Rather than treating all cities the same, places are seen as interconnected through networks of culture, economics, trade or history. So while London and Tokyo are economically linked through stock markets, Graz and Stockholm are linked via the Cultural Capital of Europe . These networks overlap and are concentrated in cities.

Arguably this concentration of networks creates a unique feeling of a place. Such networks, however, do not only link cities with cities, but also a city to its surroundings. The notion of a city footprint reflects the idea that a city on its own is not sustainable: it depends on produce from its surroundings, it needs trade links and other connections for economic viability. Looking at networks, it becomes possible to explain the rise and fall of cities. This has to do with the changing importance of connections and is maybe best illustrated with the arrival of Spanish colonizers in America . Within a short time, connections to Madrid became more important than connections to the former centre Tenochtitlán . The concentration of networks in cities can be used as an explanation of urbanization . It is the access to certain networks that attracts people. As various networks spatially run together in a confined area, people gather in cities. At the same time, this concentration of people means the introduction of new networks, such as social links, increasing the creation of new possibilities within cities. Urban social movements are a direct result of this possibility of making new connections. It is this openness to new connections that makes cities both attractive and to a certain degree unpredictable.

Another important aspect of modern urban thinking is looking at the divisions within a city. This internal differentiation is linked to the external connections of a city. As places of meeting histories , cities are hybrid and heterogeneous. Hybrid they are as the connections which link places are bilateral, involving giving and taking in both directions. Heterogeneous they are because of the dynamism of cities. New encounters are ongoing processes where social relations and differences are constantly negotiated and shaped, reflecting the unequal power involved. Neither the internal differentiations nor the connections and networks of a place on their own define a city. Internal divisions are caused by external links, while at the same time connections to the outside open up the possibility of new social divisions . Divisions and connections in every city are intertwined, and only by considering both aspects of spatial thinking the complexity of cities is approachable. Immigration illustrates this interconnection of external networks and internal divisions well. The networks concentrated in the core of the city attract immigrants. As they immigrate, the newcomers bring along their histories, bringing new networks or enforcing existing ones. At the same time, their history offers opportunities to identify with or likewise exclude. Division and connection come hand in hand.

Rather than attempting to eradicate such tensions and contradictions in the theoretical framework, modern urban thinking – influenced by poststructuralist thought – accounts for both sides. Static universal bodies are replaced by multidimensional networks, allowing for fluidity and dynamism. Global cities City lights from space. NASA. Credit-Marc Imhoff A global city , also known as a world city, is a prominent centre of trade , banking , finance , innovations, and markets . The term "global city", as opposed to megacity, was coined by Saskia Sassen in a seminal 1991 work. Whereas "megacity" refers to any city of enormous size, a global city is one of enormous power or influence. Global cities, according to Sassen, have more in common with each other than with other cities in their host nations. Bangkok , Beijing , Brussels , Chicago , Hong Kong , Johannesburg , London , Moscow , Mumbai , New York , Los Angeles , Paris , São Paulo , Seoul , Shanghai , Singapore , Sydney , Tokyo and Toronto are commonly referred to as global cities, however, the term is also applied to other cities. The notion of global cities regards the power of cities as contained within cities.

The city is seen as a container where skills and resources are concentrated. The more successful city is able to concentrate more of these skills and resources. This makes the city itself more powerful in terms that it can influence what is happening around the world. Following this view of cities, it is possible to rank the world's cities hierarchically (John Friedmann and Goetz Wolff, "World City Formation: An Agenda for Research and Action," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 6, no. 3 (1982): 319.). Critics of the notion point out to the different realms of power. The term global city narrowly focuses on economics. Cities like Rome are powerful in religious terms. Additionally, it has been questioned whether the city itself can be regarded as an actor. In 1995 Kanter argued that successful cities can be identified by three elements. To be successful, a city needs to be good thinkers (concepts), good makers (competence) or good traders ( connections ). The interplay of these three elements, Kanter argued, means that good cities are not planned but managed. Environmental effects Modern cities are known for creating their own microclimates .

This is due to the large clustering of hard surfaces that heat up in sunlight and that channel rainwater into underground ducts. As a result, city weather is often windier and cloudier than the weather in the surrounding countryside. Conversely, because these effects make cities warmer (urban heat shield or urban heat islands) than the surrounding area, tornadoes tend to go around cities. Additionally towns can cause significant downstream weather effects. Garbage and sewage are two major problems for cities, as is air pollution coming from internal combustion engines (see public transport ). The impact of cities on places elsewhere, be it hinterlands or places far away, is considered in the notion of city footprinting (ecological footprint). Inner city Main article: Inner city In the United States, United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, the term "inner city" is sometimes used with the connotation of being an area, perhaps a ghetto , where people are less educated and wealthy and where there is more crime. These connotations are less common in other Western countries, as deprived areas are located in varying parts of other Western cities.

In fact, with the gentrification of some formerly run-down central city areas the reverse connotation can apply - in Australia the term "outer suburban" applied to a person implies a lack of sophistication. For instance, in Paris the inner city is the richest part of the metropolitan area, where housing is the most expensive, and where elites and high-income individuals dwell. The United States, in particular, suffers from a culture of anti-urbanism that some say dates back as far as Thomas Jefferson who wrote that "The mobs of great cities add just so much to the support of pure government as sores do to the strength of the human body." On the businessmen who brought manufacturing industry into cities and hence increased the population density necessary to supply the workforce, he wrote "the manufactures of the great cities... have begotten a depravity of morals, a dependence and corruption, which renders them an undesirable accession to a country whose morals are sound." Modern anti-urban attitudes are to be found in America in the form of a planning profession that continues to develop land on a low-density suburban basis, where access to amenities, work and shopping is provided almost exclusively by car rather than on foot.

However, there is a growing movement in North America called " New Urbanism " that calls for a return to traditional city planning methods where mixed-use zoning allows people to walk from one type of land-use to another. The idea is that housing, shopping, office space, and leisure facilities are all provided within walking distance of each other, thus reducing the demand for road-space and also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of mass transit . See also How to find an English-speaking interpreter for a very short trip to France - Rick Steves Travel Forum Please sign in to post. How to find an English-speaking interpreter for a very short trip to France Posted by guyotsmith on 07/10/16 04:04 PM Some forty-five years ago, I learned that my ancestors lived for hundreds of years in two tiny communes on the border of Champagne and Lorraine. I have never seen them. I am a teacher in the United States, now a senior citizen, and each year do a presentation at school about the French-American traditions I acquired from my mother - always speaking of the ancestral villages in France, which I have never seen. For decades, I have refrained from journeying to France because I do not speak French!

This summer, I have decided that - at my age - it may be a case of "now or never." I have airline reservations in August, going to Paris. I have TGV reservations from Paris to Bar le Duc. I have hotel reservations. I need an interpreter. I speak English and Spanish, but need someone to help me in view of my lack of French. The tour guides I contacted are not available in early August, and that part of France is not on the beaten path for tourists. No one except a family history enthusiast would journey across the ocean to see two extremely small, rural villages which are devoid of "tourist attractions." Even my own family will not be accompanying me, so it will be a very short, whirlwind trip. Further, I do not need a tour guide so much as an interpreter. A teacher of English in a school in Bar le Duc, for example, would be ideal - but I have no idea as to how to locate such an individual. Because I am a teacher, I would love to make some little videos of my ancestral villages and perhaps interview local residents, for the purpose of using such videos in our school's French classes.

Being unable to speak French, however, I see no way for that to be accomplished without an interpreter. The Meuse Tourist Bureau, in Lorraine, recommends a handful of fine tour guides, most of whom are busy taking visitors to Verdun. I know of no way to find an interpreter for a couple of days, to take me to see those small villages and to help me survive in a rural area where I assume there may be few, if any, bilingual residents. Any advice would be deeply appreciated. Thank you so much! 07/10/16 04:15 PM 1186 posts I wouldn't make it to much of a whirlwind and I wouldn't be overly concerned with needing an interpreter. With a few simple pleasantries you can usually get by. I'd contact the hotels and ask if they can refer someone local. Visual aids like pictures of your relatives or where they lived could be useful to communicate with locals. 07/10/16 04:35 PM 15051 posts I disagree with Richard. If you were just passing through you could "get by" with a few words and gesture or two.

But for what you want to do, you do need the interpreter to get at the detail you want. You could send a letter to the mayor of each town and ask for his/her assistance. Send it both in English and in French running it through one of the translation web site. You might look at some genealogical web sites for that area. They often have people that provide that kind of resource. 07/10/16 04:58 PM 3883 posts I would write the mayors' offices of the two villages--(I see Frank and I answered at the same time. I would get a Google translation cleaned up before sending it, however.) You might be surprised at what they might do for a "fils du pays". This is a term which roughly translates to "one of our own," which is how you'll be treated if they know about your interest and visit. Certainly there's someone in each village who speaks some English. Do you also want to check the war monument and cemetery for others with your last name? The local church records? You need to write now because things slow down in July and August in town halls. Please report back.

07/10/16 05:04 PM 1822 posts Have you asked the staff at the hotel where you are staying? They are presumably more local and might know of a person willing to help you out. Bar le Duc has 16,000 residents - not a small village in my book. Posted by guyotsmith OP 07/10/16 05:47 PM 4 posts I cannot begin to adequately express my appreciation to all of you, for each one has given me some extremely helpful advice - and I plan to take action on your suggestions. My ancestors lived, as far back as the 1500s, in Bettancourt-la-Longue. My great-great grandfather was born a short distance away, in Rancourt-sur-Ornain. From Rancourt, he journeyed with his wife and baby to New Orleans, where my grandfather and my mother were born. Although her parents communicated in French, my mother was orphaned at an early age - and the French she spoke to me when I was a child is incomprehensible to speakers of correct French today.

When I use phrases common in my family or sing a fragment of an ancient song in French while I am at work, none of our fine French teachers comprehend a word I am uttering! I did write to mayors of the two communes, some time ago. One sent me a beautiful reply -- obviously a wonderful person. The other did not respond. I have been very reluctant to bother the kind mayor with my travel problem, although that is undoubtedly what I ought to do. Being interested in genealogy, I am thankful for the suggestion that I try contacting a genealogical society in that region. Such an interpreter, if I could find one, would be ideal. It is extremely embarrassing, in view of my French ancestry, to be unable to speak French. Through a quirk of fate, I spent part of my youth living in Latin America, and I am fluent in Spanish. This enables me to read some French and figure it out, so I have had no difficulty in conducting genealogical research. Actually seeing and trying to photograph those tiny communes, however, is something altogether different. Communicating with folks in those rural communities would be impossible.

Quite frankly, I am hesitant about getting on the TGV for Bar le Duc, not speaking the language. In Paris, there would be no problem. My hotel is in Revigny-sur-Ornain, because it is so close to the two little communes where my ancestors lived. I assume there is a taxi in Bar le Duc to transport me to Revigny. My two ancestral towns are situated right on the Champagne/Lorraine line. I have been trying to find an interpreter in Lorraine, but perhaps I should also try Champagne. My kingdom for an English teacher at a school in that area! Few schools there seem to have websites, however, and I would not know how to contact any of the instructors. I should have made this trip decades ago, when I was braver, more resilient, and probably more resourceful! A million thanks to everyone. Your advice is appreciated more than I can tell you. 07/11/16 03:18 AM 1934 posts You might also look online for the local churches to see if they have websites. If so, information will be in French, of course. Run it through Google Translate to get the gist.

If any local church has an email address, or a form to fill out for some reason, write them and be sure to tell them about your ancestors and what you want to do. I'd write in both English and French. I did this with the tiny (population about 180) English village of Postling in Kent. That led to a person from there who picked me up at the bus stop in a town nearby, took me for a drive to see where my ancestors' farm was, showed me around town and returned me to the bus stop to go back to Canterbury. The process wasn't nearly so complicated as yours, except that Postling is so tiny that if I hadn't used the church's form intended for something else entirely, it would never have happened. 07/11/16 03:53 AM 3883 posts It's very different in France concerning the churches, unless this is a Protestant village, in which case a congregation may be active. The church buildings all belong to the government, in fact. That's why I suggested the town hall, which is at the center of the community nowadays. If he had one response from one mayor, he should follow that up.

They will be delighted to meet him. I base this on our own personal experience going to my father-in-law's hamlet and neighboring village, as well as my own interaction over the decades in my in-law's village. 07/11/16 06:52 AM 776 posts My sister and I went to a tiny town outside of Macon to research our family's history. We went to the Mairie (town hall), asked at the desk and were graciously allowed to access the archives in the attic, even though it was late on a Friday afternoon. To find out anything about your ancestors, you must have precise names, dates, the towns in which they were married, and as much other information as possible. Poring over the beautiful calligraphy in the ledgers with the help of the elderly archivist was something we'll never forget. Posted by guyotsmith OP 12/04/16 04:14 PM 4 posts Today, in the chilly Northeastern United States, I am reflecting on my first-ever visit - last summer - to the two tiny towns where my ancestors lived, on the border of Champagne and Lorraine.

Because of my French ancestry, it embarrassed me terribly to be unable to converse in French, and so I desperately sought an interpreter who could help me do what I wanted to do. I tried in every way possible, but I was unsuccessful. Every bilingual guide or interpreter seemed to be occupied with other work in August. I had made the reservations, had failed to locate an interpreter, and - as fate would have it - was beginning to experience some unpleasant health issues. I consulted my physician, who declared me fit to travel and urged me to go through with the long-anticipated trip. I had not been in France in 50 years, and had never seen my two tiny ancestral communes. However, I arrived in Paris via La Compagnie's comfortable flight, and from the airport took a taxi to the Gare de l'Est. Obviously, I have enough French at my command to get from one place to another. I waited a long while at the train station for the TGV to make the two-hour trip to Bar-le-Duc. The train ride was extremely pleasant and comfortable. Being of French descent, I felt quite at home with all the wonderful people I encountered along the way.

From Bar-le-Duc, another taxi transported me to the Maison Forte in Revigny, a splendid inn (commonly termed "bed and breakfast," though it is much more than that). I was treated royally. Because I had failed to find an interpreter, I'd reluctantly thrown myself on the mercy of my only French friend - the Mayor of my small ancestral village, Bettancourt-la-Longue. This gentleman, among the finest people I have known in my long journey through this life, arrived at the inn the next morning to pick me up. The language barrier was immediately dissolved and we became fast friends. He and his charming wife - who may be very distantly related to me - made my stay in France absolutely perfect. Further, the Mayor's grandson accompanied us - and this brilliant young man speaks better English than I do. Whenever I needed help, he was there. I was beautifully treated in both ancestral villages - which are one mile apart. Bettancourt-la-Longue is in Champagne, and Rancourt-sur-Ornain is in Lorraine. A newspaper reporter did a long story about my visit. All the townsfolk came to greet me, and I truly felt at home.

Several people remarked that I seemed thoroughly French to them, despite my lack of language. I became well acquainted with both towns, made videos to use at school, and was treated to the most delectable food I have enjoyed in decades. The visit was perfect in every regard. The innkeepers and their guests spoke English, and even the taxi drivers had a bit of English at their command. I, however, understood much of the French I heard - and was even vindicated when I used some Louisiana French expressions which are mocked by many of my French teacher friends.....but which are, apparently, perfectly correct! My friends and all the other people encountered during the trip made me feel completely at home. My ancestors left for America in 1840, never returning to France. In a sense, I made the return visit for them in 2016. It was beyond wonderful. Many thanks to everyone who gave me such valuable advice prior to my voyage. I appreciate your kindness, and am pleased to report that my trip surpassed all my expectations.

12/04/16 07:51 PM 314 posts I remember your original posting although I didn't have anything to add to the suggestions and encouragement that you received at the time. Thank you for coming back and sharing your wonderful experience. Like Mona, I'm in tears ... Do you think you will try to return to France? (I bet I'm not the only one who hopes that you do!) SharYn 12/04/16 08:51 PM 4 posts Thank you, all, for your extremely kind comments. My mother, who was orphaned at an early age, had a keen interest in learning about the family history - and my first attempts to dig into family research resulted from my desire to fulfill one of her lifelong goals. She never knew a grandparent, nor did she know their names. In the early 1970s, I discovered through simple research that my great-great grandfather was born in Rancourt-sur-Ornain, Meuse. Digging further, I learned that my ancestors had resided in Bettancourt-la-Longue, Marne, for several centuries.

I had thought about those two communities for years - and had even dreamed on several occasions that I was trying to reach them, usually getting lost in the process. My trip last August came after decades of thinking about going. My desire to see those ancestral villages was simply that: to personally walk where my ancestors had walked, and to see what they saw. Although my grandparents spoke in French within the family, my mother grew up with relatives who encouraged her to forget the ancestral tongue and to speak in English. As a consequence of this, my French is extremely limited. I had long feared that venturing off the beaten path and trying to see two rural villages would be nearly impossible, and that I would find few bilingual folks willing to assist. My fears intensified when I struggled to hire an interpreter this past summer, failing at every turn. I couldn't imagine trying to get to the Champagne/Lorraine border with virtually no French. The simplicity of my mission helped enormously. It was not a research trip. I wanted to see the towns I had already researched for over 40 years.

Because I am a teacher, and because I traditionally do a French-American presentation for the whole school during a "Diversity Day" celebration each year, I wanted to make a few videos of those two towns. I needed to get from Paris to Bar-le-Duc, then to Revigny, and finally to Rancourt-sur-Ornain and to Bettancourt-la-Longue. There being no automobile rentals in Bar-le-Duc, I needed someone to transport me to the places I wanted to see. I'd previously corresponded with the Mayor of Bettancourt, and I hated to impose on him -- but I was desperate. I wrote and told him of my trip, and he took care of all the rest. A wonderful gentleman whom I now count among my dearest friends, the Mayor planned a Town Hall reception for me. The town is in Champagne - and, despite my severe hypertension and the medications I must take - I was toasted (with my physician's blessing) with my ancestral beverage, which was exquisite. A newspaper reporter came to do a story about the French-American senior citizen who became the first member of his family to return to France since 1840. I walked all over the beautiful little commune.

The next day, I was transported to Rancourt-sur-Ornain, given a tour of the Town Hall, and taken to see the ancient Eglise Saint-Medard, built between the 12th and 15th centuries. This experience so moved me that, upon returning home, I bought a St. Medard medallion to wear. The Mayor's lovely home became my headquarters in France, and I dined in the manner of royalty - bringing back traditional recipes to share with French students at school. I had no trouble communicating, and the Mayor's grandson - whose English is astonishingly fine - was there to assist. I now regard him as one of my own grandchildren, and he has corresponded with my students. My expectations were surpassed. The little towns are beautiful, tranquil, and filled with wonderful people. Everyone I encountered was exceedingly friendly, warm, kind, compassionate, and intelligent. Even the weather was ideal! I would love to visit again - but, in the event this does not happen, I shall forever treasure the memory of my long-delayed visit to the towns where my forefathers lived, in the loveliest part of France I have yet seen. Thank you, everyone!

village - National Geographic Society village Gandhi said the "soul of India" was its rural villages, like this one. Photograph by Dipanjan Mitra, MyShot Soul of India The Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi declared that the soul of India lives in its villages. In 2011, 69% of India's 1.24 billion people lived in rural villages. Philippine Villages In the Philippines, "village" usually refers to a gated community in an urban area. Global Village The "global village" is shorthand for the world connected by electronic devices, such as smart phones or the Internet. A village is a small settlement usually found in a rural setting. It is generally larger than a " hamlet " but smaller than a " town ". Some geographer s specifically define a village as having between 500 and 2,500 inhabitants. In most parts of the world, villages are settlements of people clustered around a central point. A central point is most often a church , market place, or public space. A public space can be a open space (sometimes called a village green), or develop ed square (sometimes called a plaza or piazza).

This type of village organization is called a nucleated settlement . Some villages are linear settlement s. They are not clustered around a central public space, but around a line. This line can be natural, such as a river bank or seashore . (Fishing villages are often linear settlements.) Linear settlements can also develop around a transportation route, such as a railroad line. Planned villages are communities that do not develop around a central point. They are outlined by city planner s, often to avoid land-use conflict s that are common in nucleated settlements. Planned villages are sometimes called "new towns." Tapiola, Finland, for instance, was planned as an "ecological village" or "garden city" in the 1950s. The nonprofit organization s that planned Tapiola were guided by the principle s of providing local jobs, including all income levels, and establishing life in harmony with nature and the natural world. Villages often function as units of local government . In China and Japan, a village is an official administrative unit. An administrative unit is a single component of government, with its own leadership (similar to city councils) and services, such as mail delivery.

Villages in the Past In the past, rural villagers usually engaged in a primary activity such as farming or fishing. In the United Kingdom, a "pit village" is a settlement whose primary activity is mining . In many underdeveloped nations, these primary activities are still the focus of rural village life. Primary activities provide basic goods and services for inhabitants and for people in surrounding areas. In this way, some villages function as trading center s. Villages surrounding the city of Damascus, Syria, for example, have been trading hubs for thousands of years. Many villages were surrounded by thick walls or gates. A tulou, for example, is a traditional building among the Hakka people of Southern China. These walled, circular buildings are constructed around a large, open, central courtyard. The tulou itself houses most villagers—up to 800. The Industrial Revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries forever changed village life. The Industrial Revolution, defined as transition from animal-based labor to machines that manufacture goods, vastly increased productivity . As this happened, countless small villages grew into cities and towns. In this process, called urbanization , nucleated settlements built up around around factories, not churches or community centers.

This trend began on the island of Great Britain and eventually spread around the world. Hampstead was a English village that expanded rapidly after rail lines opened in the 1860s, for example. Today, Hampstead is a major neighborhood of London. Village Life Today Agricultural villages remain the predominant form of rural settlement throughout most of the world. (In much of North America and Australia, however, the most common form of rural settlement is the isolated farmstead .) Most villages in developed countries are no longer oriented toward primary activities. Cultural changes, globalization , and other factors have encouraged residents to seek other occupations, or, in some cases, to migrate . Perhaps the most radical change in village life came to Russia during the Soviet period. In the 1920s, Russia was an agricultural nation, with more than 75 million people living in villages. Russia quickly became an industrial nation, with the government supporting a manufacturing-based economy that was mostly located in cities. By the end of the Soviet Union in 1989, fewer than 40 million Russians lived in villages. Some urban residents moved to villages and commute to jobs in larger cities and towns.

This phenomenon is referred to as " urban flight " or "suburban colonization." Villages or suburbs not only grow larger, but gain political power. Conflict between village or suburban residents and inner-city residents over resource s and priorities often define political debates in urban areas such as Delhi, India, or Mexico City, Mexico. The word “village” is sometimes used to refer to certain neighborhoods within a larger urban area. Greenwich Village in New York City, for instance, has enjoyed a reputation as an artistic enclave for more than a century. Today, "the Village" is an upper middle-class residential area. Term bank Noun a slope of land adjoining a body of water, or a large elevated area of the sea floor. church building used for spiritual worship and religious practices. city large settlement with a high population density. city planner person who plans the physical design and zoning of an urban center. commute Verb to travel to and from specific places on a regular basis, usually for a specific purpose, such as employment. conflict a disagreement or fight, usually over ideas or procedures. develop system of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. factory one or more buildings used for the manufacture of a product.

farming the art, science, and business of cultivating the land for growing crops. geographer person who studies places and the relationships between people and their environments. globalization Noun connection of different parts of the world resulting in the expansion of international cultural, economic, and political activities. system or order of a nation, state, or other political unit. hamlet Industrial Revolution Noun change in economic and social activities, beginning in the 18th century, brought by the replacement of hand tools with machinery and mass production. isolated farmstead Noun single farm, consisting of one or several houses and farm buildings not associated with a settlement. linear settlement settlement of people clustered along a line, such as a river bank or railroad route. manufacture to make or produce a good, usually for sale. market central place for the sale of goods. migrate to move from one place or activity to another. mining process of extracting ore from the Earth. neighborhood Noun business that uses surplus funds to pursue its goals, not to make money. nucleated settlement settlements of people clustered around a central point. phenomenon an unusual act or occurrence. predominant work that provides basic goods and services, such as food, shelter, and clothing.

principle rate at which goods and services are produced. resource available supply of materials, goods, or services. Resources can be natural or human. rural having to do with country life, or areas with few residents. seashore having to do with the Soviet Union and the areas it influenced. town human settlement larger than a village and smaller than a city. trading center settlement or business area where goods and services are exchanged. transportation movement of people or goods from one place to another. underdeveloped country country that has fallen behind on goals of industrialization, infrastructure, and income. urban flight Noun process where city residents move to villages or suburbs and commute to jobs in larger towns. urbanization Noun process in which there is an increase in the number of people living and working in a city or metropolitan area. village

Question: What term is usually used for a small English village without a church?
Answer: Hamlet