What is "etymological"? Defined as: relating to the origin and historical development of words and their meanings

This relates to what we discussed in class during the first week about what a "good question" is and how would you ask a "good question" and how its important to think about this when working on any type of research. It helps in jogging thoughtful discussion as well.

There is a meaning behind everything but some things may have a deeper meaning than others or may be interpreted in various ways to different people.

I am applying the "What is a Machete, Anyway" as my supplemental text and the main idea of that article is expressing how there are various interpretations of what a Machete is actually. Some people see it as a tool while others see it as a weapon. Everyone's view on a particular object is not the same because of cultural differences. In the article, Cline says himself, "the machete bears an unusual character. It’s possible to conceive of it as a weapon, yes, but it’s also very much a tool — not altogether different from, say, a shovel."

In relations to the "What is a Machete, Anyway" article where the machete can be described as a weapon but also as a tool, relates to this specific line in terms of how people look at objects differently.

When expressing your interpretations of an object you need to understand the physical significant value that object holds in that culture which will explain their individual perspective.

Relating to the science of phenomena as distinct from that of the nature of being.

Relating to metaphysics; the essentially metaphysical question of the nature of the mind.

Relating to the origin and historical development of words and their meanings.

A means of identifying, analyzing and categorizing objects in Historical Archaeology.

It is because of this very limitless possibility that allows for a greater understanding of a culture to be understood

Can a object be linked on a spritual and cultural level?

I beleive this text and the secondary The Secret to Good Writing: It's About Objects, Not Ideas, agree in a sense that the main text is looking for a individual to develop a deeper connection and meaning to a object for a better understanding, while the secondary text is developing a a deeper connection to ideas that are presented.

The supplemental text I'm have chosen to apply to this text would be "3-D print your way to freedom and prosperity" by Jathan Sadowski. Which is an online news article that contains pictures. Unlike the Haltman's text it can be updated and viewed by millions. In both text the idea of polarity comes to play in the Halthman's text it is referred to as an objective metaphor. Whereas, the Sadowski article refers to it as the "maker" movement.

As related to the primary text, the interpretations of what a machete is defined as can be viewed differently from all aspects. From a law standpoint, they see the machete as a weapon because it is a sharp object but others see it as a tool because it can be compared to a table saw or an ax.

This goes back to the primary researches statement of culture having an affect on how people see objects. Some cultures use machetes as actual tools i.e the "corn knife" while others see it as a weapon because they have seen it being used in that way.

A means of identifying, analyzing and categorizing objects in Historical Archaeology.

In the analysis of the machete, the author examines not only the object itself, but the cultural significance of it and talks about how the original culture would interpret it as simply a tool and weapon of the poor farmers.

Some objects are meant to spread a message while some are products of necessity. The machete has been able to do both as an indirect effect of being a tool that was necessary at the time and a weapon that is capable of harming. However the extend to which an object signifies a deep and meaningful message about a particular culture does not limit it's cultural importance, it only makes such importance in the object harder to find.

Nobody ever thinks of a plan stapler as an essential and even cultural item that must have a prominent and deep meaning, but with enough observation and digging back to the roots of history, you can find intriguing facts and connections that can be made. Staples are only a byproduct of humanity's growth in written language and technology. They would not exist if machines like the typewriter and printer were not invented (both significant items on their own). To judge an object as historically important can turn out to be one sided and closed minded as there is signifigance is everything, and everything can be tied to a culture or a historical even that has either grown or reduced a culture.

These hooks make the object more interesting and offer a point of contrast that could be used when talking about cultures. One object can be associated with one ideal and be the opposite of that ideal. Taking the example of the machete, people view it as a destructive tool used for homocide, but historically it has saved many people and cultures from their downfall. This technique can make the reader intrigued and even invite more room for speculation as people will want to know what connections can be made between the two contrasting ideals. Such soeculation has the potential to create questions and invoke more thoughts about the background of the object and create a community discussion that argues about and shakes the current ideas about culture and society in both the present, past, and potentially future.

How long should the process of speculating be? I've always seen it as a process that can take a while depending on how detailed the object is. For something like the AIDS quilt, there is so much behind the entire project ranging from the visual aspects of our individual panels of the quilt to the in depth stories of the families and why they decided to memorialize their loved ones despite the heated political climate around the time. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/10/11/almost-30-years-later-people-are-still-impacted-by-the-aids-memorial-quilt/?utm_term=.b66b589fd879

Noticing every nuance of an object can bring out unnoticed details and can maybe bring up more questions about the object, these questions help us become more aware of the possible origins of the object. Mars is currently a planet being observed in astrology. Scientists have analyzed samples of dirt and are trying to describe the planet in all it's entirety, and it seems that the more than the notice about the planet, the more questions they have about it's possible origins. Patterns are found such as the polar icecaps once being oceans, and they expand on that in order to deduce the possibility of life.

Cultural significance is different from culture to culture, one culture will regard one thing as insignificant while the other will highly regard it. When doing an object analysis, one should know the history of the object and the culture that the object originated from. Without knowing this, people are likely to misinterpret the importance of an object or reject it. For example many people think machetes are things that only violent criminals use due to their growing presence in horror.

I understand that in analyzing an object, you have to be accurate in how you describe it, but more attention should be focused on what the object means, describing the object is merely convenient for people who don't know what the aforementioned object is.

I chose the supplemental source: "What is a Machete, Anyway?" written by John Cline. In the article, he explores the history and the cultural significance of the machete as a weapon and a common farming tool. Cline recalls the recent event of a man who got arrested for carrying a machete in a public space, and talks about the nature of the machete as a revolutionary object. The topic switches to a historical instance of an uprising in the 1800's led by five South American countries. William Walker was an American filibuster who controlled these nations for 2 years and was executed after a combined effort of multiple armies. A machete is used as the symbol of that event, and is seen as a commoner's weapon. He then goes into the origins of the machete as a agricultural tool first created in medieval Europe and spread to South America during Colonization. During the time, it was used by slaves and peasants and slaves. which furthers the idea that it was a farmer's tool and something used to protect the defenseless masses. Cline provides additional examples of how machetes have been an instrumental tool for revolution and some cases where they were used for violent displays of power, stating that it is a unique object in the sense that it's truly a multi purpose tool that have served the disadvantaged in times of turmoil and bondage.

In the process of analyzing these two pieces, I have come across many similarities and comparisons between Cline's piece, an example of a object analysis, and Haltman's description of a object analysis essay. While reading these two works, there were points where certain steps in Prownian Analysis that could be clearly identified in Cline's piece about the historical observation of the machete. Even though there was no clearn description in the article, Cline speculates about why society reacts to the object and offers a well rounded interpretive analysis about his chosen object. The ability to both read and annotate a guide and an example of an object analysis offers ample learning opportunity for making an object analysis. This assignment has cleared up the process of object analysis and made it more understandable, although it was not easy to complete. Reading these two pieces in light of each other required the ability to analyze, comprehend fully, then articulate thoughts into several text boxes. Being able to expand out of the range of words and use pictures enhanced the and simplified the process of explaining relevant thoughts.

In this way, the description of an object is much like the creation of an object. All items underwent a specific set of circumstances to orchestrate their creation. Without those very specific circumstances, the exact object in question wouldn't exist.

In relation to the Jathan Sadowski article about 3D printing and the MAKER movement, each object created by a maker has their own unique expression represented within that object. This can not only express the creator, but the culture behind the creator and the society in which the item finds a use.

In the last paragraph of the piece, Haltman writes about the study of material culture being a more exploratory process rather than explanatory process. I believe this is what Cline was doing in his article on the machete. He was exploring different cultures' meaning of the machete.

Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

In the last paragraph of page eight Haltman writes about the "simplicity of freely choosing an object..."(Haltman, page 8). In Cline's case there was no freedom in choosing an object. Cline wrote the article to give more information on a certain incident.

Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

On page seven in the last paragraph Haltman says that an analysis of an object should not necessarily be an argument, but should have a claim and present information. Cline seems to do exactly this in his article. He presents historical evidence of the machete being used as a weapon and a tool, but does not argue as to whether or not a machete should be seen as either in today's world (Cline)

.Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

In the third paragraph of page six Haltman describes the importance thinking about how an object signifies its meaning. Cline writes the machete was a symbol of terror during the Rwandan Genocide because it was used to kill millions of people. This effectively explains how the machete was a symbol of terror in Rwanda.

Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

In the last two paragraphs of page five Haltman describes the process of deducing meaning from an object. It is a very fast process. Our deductions are influenced by our current culture, so our deductions could be wrong because the object comes from a different culture. In his article, Cline talks about his own exposure to machetes being used as agricultural tools. He would at first associate a machete as a tool rather than as a weapon, however in some cultures this symbolism could be wrong.

Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

On page four Haltman writes about the importance of word choice when writing about an object. A reader's view of a culture will be based on the writer's interpretation, and word choice heavily influences interpretation. Cline seems to write in a light-hearted manner, at times almost comedic, to maintain a more informative approach, as opposed to taking a stand on the arrest of the man carrying a machete (Cline).

Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

The last paragraph of page three is a quote from Jules Prown on describing an object. In Cline's article a brief history of the machete is given, defining its original purpose as an agricultural tool in 16th century Europe. However, it was soon also used as a weapon, creating a different meaning for the tool (Cline).

Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

I chose John Cline's article "What is a Machete, Anyway?" as my supplementary reading. The article addresses the arrest of a man who was carrying an unconcealed machete in public. Cline writes about the history and cultural symbolism attached to the machete, pondering whether or not the machete should be considered a weapon (Cline).

Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

In the first paragraph of page one, Haltman writes about the importance of asking certain types of questions when researching a cultural object. In his article, Cline asks what the machete meant or symbolized to various cultures over time (Cline).

Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

On page two, Haltman is describing Jules Prown's analysis method. Prown says that the most expressive objects are embedded in polarites, such as life and death or acceptance and rejection (Jules Prown). In Cline's article the machete is symbolized in multiple ways in different cultures, such as a weapon in a revolution or an agricultural tool (Cline). In a revolution a machete could symbolize the polarity of power and lack of control. A group revolting is seizing power from an authority.

Cline, John. “What Is a Machete, Anyway?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Oct. 2013, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/10/what-is-a-machete-anyway/280705/.

3-D printing is the process of creating an object that is new, by breaking something down and then fabricating it into something of use. This process is very convenient and fast. Unlike the Haltman's essay this discusses the effects of 3-D printing on both social and economical scales.