“I” as PERSONALITY and INDIVIDUALITY
Abstract
This paper explores the notional components of the concepts PERSONALITY, PERSON, PERSONA, INDIVIDUALITY, and INDIVIDUAL, identifying both their shared and distinct characteristics. These concepts serve as the object of study, while their corresponding lexemes - personality, person, persona, individuality, and individual - are examined as linguistic representations. Despite being treated as synonyms in thesaurus dictionaries, these terms exhibit nuanced differences, which this study seeks to clarify. Understanding these differences is essential in linguistic and interdisciplinary studies, including cognitive linguistics, philosophy of language, in particular for a clearer interpretation of identity-related constructs in discourse. The analysis is based on lexicographic sources and discourse samples obtained through continuous sampling from electronic resources, including the British National Corpus. The study employs etymological and componential analysis methods to reveal the interconnections among these concepts. Findings indicate that INDIVIDUALITY partially overlaps with PERSONALITY, PERSON, and INDIVIDUAL. For instance, the lexeme individuality encompasses meanings such as “an individual,” “personality,” and “person,” reflecting its conceptual interrelations. The study argues that self-realization begins with the indivisible nature of an individual, from which the Self or “I” emerges. Over time, this Self acquires a personality through actions and interactions, expressed through various personas or masks. Thus, individuality represents inherent existence, while personality manifests through behavior and social roles. By refining the distinctions among these concepts, this study enhances the understanding of their linguistic and conceptual relationships.
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References
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