Person

I've understood that I am not a person, and that I have persons, Library card, drivers license (expired) etc for some time now. Lately, reading so many legal definitions in code, acts, and statutes I started abandoning that logic and thinking the word Person as something with duality. Thanks for bringing my head back down to reality Rob. Sometimes when ya immerse yourself in the stink of it all, you get used to the smell and need reminding that it just stinks. Thanks for the breath of fresh air.


 "An examination of the definition of the term 'person' as found in the Interpretation Act. Does it mean 'people AND corporations', or does it mean 'ONLY corporations'. You decide."

NOTE: The Interpretation Act belongs to the corporation of Canada, but here in the States there is an act that says the same thing. In fact, every corporation State will have a similar or exactly the same worded definition. Also one can look up the definition in about any law dictionary. The good ones will have it.

I also find it helpful to look up not just the legal definitions in a law dictionary, but also to see where the words came from in an Etymology Dictionary.

person (n.)

early 13c., from Old French persone "human being, anyone, person" (12c., Modern French personne) and directly from Latin persona "human being, person, personage; a part in a drama, assumed character," originally "mask, false face," such as those of wood or clay worn by the actors in later Roman theater. OED offers the general 19c. explanation of persona as "related to" Latin personare "to sound through" (i.e. the mask as something spoken through and perhaps amplifying the voice), "but the long o makes a difficulty ...." Klein and Barnhart say it is possibly borrowed from Etruscan phersu "mask." Klein goes on to say this is ultimately of Greek origin and compares Persephone.

Of corporate entities from mid-15c. The use of -person to replace -man in compounds and avoid alleged sexist connotations is first recorded 1971 (in chairperson). In person "by bodily presence" is from 1560s. Person-to-person first recorded 1919, originally of telephone calls.

persona (n.)

1917, "outward or social personality," a Jungian psychology term, from Latin persona "person" (see person). Used earlier (1909) by Ezra Pound in the sense "literary character representing voice of the author." Persona grata is Late Latin, literally "an acceptable person," originally applied to diplomatic representatives acceptable to the governments to which they were sent; hence also persona non grata (plural personæ non gratæ).

personal (adj.)

late 14c., "pertaining to the self," from Old French personal (12c., Modern French personnel), from Late Latin personalis "pertaining to a person," from Latin persona (see person). Meaning "aimed at some particular person" (usually in a hostile manner) first attested 1610s. The noun sense of "newspaper item about private matters" is attested from 1888. As "a classified ad addressed to an individual," it is recorded from 1861. Personal computer is from 1976.

personable (adj.)

"pleasing in one's person," early 15c., from person + -able, or else from Middle French personable. Related: Personably.

personality (n.)

late 14c., "quality or fact of being a person," from Medieval Latin personalitatem (nominative personalitas), from Late Latin personalis (see personal). Sense of "a distinctive character" is first recorded 1795, from French personnalité.

Personality is the supreme realization of the innate idiosyncrasy of a living being. It is an act of courage flung in the face of life, the absolute affirmation of all that constitutes the individual, the most successful adaptation to the universal conditions of existence, coupled with the greatest possible freedom of self-determination. [C.G. Jung, 1875-1961]

Meaning "person whose character stands out from that of others" is from 1889. Personality cult is attested from 1956.

personification (n.)

1755, noun of action from personify. Sense of "embodiment of a quality in a person" is attested from 1807.

personhood (n.)

1878, from person + -hood.

personify (v.)

1727 "to attribute personal form to things or abstractions" (especially as an artistic or literary technique), from person + -fy or from French personnifier (17c.), from personne. Meaning "to represent, embody" attested from 1806. Related: Personified; personifying.

Person is the act. The actors mask. The Strawman.The facade one sees in commerce, but not the man himself. Just an acceptable mirror image of the living breathing man.