Talking about Life vs Honour in Gondor, I think that it's helpful to analyse Beregond, since he's the only Minas-Tirithian warrior we know a bit closer. You could say that he's both.
Life above honour: risks everything, including his reputation, to save Faramir's life
Honour above life: Sticks to what his inner voice tells him is GOOD (ie the honourable thing to do) rather than keeping his life and job safe, again, by saving Faramir.
It depends on the defintion of LIFE and HONOUR.
I guess a typical inas-Tirithian (since that's what, in my opinion, Beregond is supposed to represent) will have an aproximate balance of both. Ioreth has a similar case - She risks her life to do an honourable thing by saving other lives.
That saying, Boromir, Faramir, and Denethor are NOT typical Minas-Tirithians!
