person:
early 13c., from O.Fr. persone "human being" (12c., Fr. personne), from L. persona "human being," originally "character in a drama, mask," possibly borrowed from Etruscan phersu "mask."
As an outside observer I must confess that the linguistic and cultural phenomenon of English and especially American English speakers referring to themselves and their peers as ´persons´ strikes me odd. Common expressions like "I'm a person" (e.g.
http://www.iamaperson.com/page/page/1831216.htm with the "I'm a person" song!!!), "I (want to) have a personality", "My personal boundaries" (that are so easily violated) etc., what do they tell about? Why identify as a person instead of as a human?
The etymology of the word gives a lot's of hints and so does the even more odd notion of corporate personhood. Main issue, but not the only issue seems to be social (and legal) status, even though being 'a drama mask' is a very limited case of being a human, in the imperial Roman and Anglo-Saxon social drama humans and humanity have no equal value to persons of the imperial gameplay, persons whose personhood is defined in terms of the gameplay. Being a mere social mask instead of being a whole human of flesh and blood and spirit speaks to this listener of deep sense of insecurity and alianation, of being divided and conquered by the imperial game play, a clog in the machine.
In the Avatar movie the expression "I see you" does not mean the person mask but... recognizing another being in this web of life. When we look in the eyes and see another being, human or some other animal, without feeling of threat and need to compete, but with trust and compassion, we recognize and accept some deep sense of responsibility.