We recall the arguments that there should be a close connection between the properties of elementary particles and the arena used for the description of macroscopic processes, and argue that a natural choice for this arena is provided by nonrelativistic phase space with momentum and position being independent variables. Accepting standard commutation relations for these variables, and adopting {x}²+{p}² as an invariant, we linearise the latter  á la Dirac. Phase space U(1) \otimes SU(3) symmetry is then represented in the relevant Clifford algebra. Within this algebra, the eigenvalues of the U(1) generator are \pm (+1/3,+1/3,+1/3,-1), characteristic of weak hypercharge Y for three coloured quarks and one lepton. The total U(1) generator contains contributions from the phase space and the Clifford algebra, and leads to a relation, which we propose to identify with the Gell-Mann--Nishijima--Glashow formula Q=I₃+Y/2.

PACS numbers: 11.30.--j, 03.65.--w, 02.40.--k