[HPforGrownups] Re: A midget in glasses,

[Pen Robinson]

No: HPFGUIDX 51079


On Wednesday, Jan 29, 2003, at 19:59 Europe/London, Falcon wrote:
>   Me: Mathematical or not, when "mean" is used in conjunction with 
> "stature" it is describing a person's average height. The context is 
> that she is talking about his physical description. "Mean" when used 
> to describe someone refers to their average size. It don't matter how 
> much you disagree with it, that's the way it is.

Interesting to see this interpretation of 'mean stature' as 'average 
height' when applied in this instance.

Obviously, 'mean stature' can denote 'average height' when applied to a 
group.  But an individual (1) cannot *have* an 'average height',  unless

(a) he is a most unusual individual who is 5'2" on Mondays but 6' tall 
on Friday night, in which case his 'mean stature' might be, oh, 5'7" or 
so,

or

(b) the speaker is referring to his height since he was, say, three 
years old.

Neither of these is, I submit, very likely.

'Mean' has many, er, meanings.  In a literary sense, it means 'small'.

Pen
<feeling a bit silly today>

(1)  An individual can be *of* average height, but that is not the same 
thing.