inter-stratal tension

The Human Individual: Organism, Person, Meaner

Mar 22

ChRIS CLÉiRIGhgeneral observations, suitable quotations 1 Comment

Halliday & Matthiessen (1999: 610):

The human individual is at once a biological “individual”, a social “individual”, and a socio–semiotic “individual”:

as a biological “individual”, s/he is an organism, born into a biological population as a member of the human species.

as a social “individual”, s/he is a person, born into a social group as a member of society.  “Person” is a complex construct; it can be characterised as a constellation of social rôles or personæ entering into social networks …

as a socio–semiotic “individual”, s/he is a meaner, born into a meaning group as a member of a speech community.  Meaner is also a complex construct. …

These different levels of individuality map onto one other: a meaner is a person, and a person is a biological organism.  But the mappings are complex; and at each level an individual lives in different environments — in different networks of relations.