here is no certain behavior that can be had from a particular sound or rhythm. Structure could not exist without some idea of what it is supposed to be. I think this could be a useful way to look and think about music if every person in this field agrees upon a common definition of terms. When the endeavor to learn is undertaken a concrete method by which to catalogue events and facts is needed, but if there isnt a universal way for all who study the same phenomena can compare and contrast then it makes sharing knowledge somewhat difficult.3. Clarification of Merriams viewpoint when distinguishing between folk evaluations and analytical evaluations I think is best characterized by paraphrasing Paul Bohannans definition. Folk evaluation is internal to the specific culture being studied/observed with the intent to understand what is happening in order to take part or be involved in the activity. Analytical evaluation is observing activity to understand what is taking place in order to re-communicate what was learned and to educate one culture in the ways another. (Merriam 31) I think this distinction is both helpful and necessary. Studying a culture obviously involves more that one participant, the observer and the observed. It must be taken into account that the society an ethnomusicologist is studying knows the purpose of what they are doing and it would ludicrous to think that without having been brought up in that societys culture an outside observer can fully understand and grasp the full context of what he or she is observing. Hence it is necessary for this distinction to be drawn. 4.Functionalism is the activities of a particular society in a culture combined with the reasons for the activities and significance the activities play in that society. Music in these terms is an activity that may be found in a specific culture and ethnomusicology is the study of music in a specific culture. The whole reason for the existence of this fi...
