THE LANGUAGE OF EUTHANASIA: WORDS AND ATTITUDES
- Authors: Kondaurov NS1,2, Stebletsova AO1,2
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Affiliations:
- Voronezh N.N. Burdenko State Medical University, Voronezh, Russia
- foreign Languages Chair
- Issue: Vol 6, No 2 (2017)
- Pages: 387-388
- Section: Articles
- URL: https://new.vestnik-surgery.com/index.php/2415-7805/article/view/3745
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Abstract
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Introduction The term euthanasia has had a long history. Its origin goes back to Ancient Greece and Rome. Nowadays the term has gone far beyond a philosophical sphere and become a highly debated issue. There is an opinion that XXI century is the time of euthanasia because only in the first decades of the new millennium different forms of euthanasia have been legalized in Netherlands (2002), Netherlands (2002), Belgium (2002 for adults, 2014 for children), Luxembourg (2015), Canada (2015), in the USA different forms of euthanasia were introduced in four states. We suggest that the discourse of euthanasia, i.e. the way the topic is discussed in media, may reflect public attitude to the concept and demonstrate what language means are involved in the process [1].The objective of the research is to investigate the language of euthanasia and to describe its current usage in the English research and media. The investigation of the topic has also included the following tasks: to identify the vocabulary of euthanasia; to study the difference between different words and phrases used to describe euthanasia; to investigate if there is an association between the word to describe euthanasia, its vocabulary definition, context and authors’ attitude to the word. The object of our research is the language of euthanasia: vocabulary under the umbrella term of euthanasia including the following words and phrases:physician assisted suicide, physician assisted dying, die with dignity, death with dignity, right to die, lethal medication, end-of-life option. The methods involved vocabulary definition analysis, contextual and linguistic analysis of the words.The research database involved articles from health journals and websites which discuss the issue of euthanasia published in 2012-2016. Results and Discussion As any complex and contradictory concept, the vocabulary of euthanasia involvesmany euphemisms and synonyms, which meanings often seem similar.The umbrella term is euthanasia.While in Russia this term is widely usedto talk about homicide in clinical settings,in America and other English- speaking countries this word is not so commonly used.According to Oxford and Cambridge online dictionaries [2] euthanasiais a “painless killing of a patient’’ or “the act killing”. Thus, due to the word killing the current vocabulary definition records a negative connotation in the meaning of euthanasia. It is peculiar that historically euthanasia meant “good” or “gracious death”, what was a contradictory combination of positivegoodorgracious and negative death. Apparently, the word euthanasia is widely used in the papers and articles which are in opposition to the practice of euthanasia and the right to die.In some articles euthanasiais equivalent to word kill, for example: “…their definitions for conditions that qualify for euthanasia have continually loosened until it’s now legal to kill anyone who’s simply “tired of life.”[3] The authors argue that legalization of euthanasia in Netherlands or Belgium is the result of the aggressive policy of euthanasia supporters. Besides, they are concerned that legalization of euthanasia will be the road “from voluntary euthanasia to involuntary killing”[3]. All in all, voluntary withdrawal from life has some supporters and opponents.While its opponents deliberately put the wordseuthanasia and kill together to emphasize negative attitude to this phenomenon, euthanasia supporters avoid this vocabulary substituting them byeuphemisms to create tolerant attitude to euthanasia. Physician assisted suicide (PAS) & Physician assisted dying (PAD) These terms are the most common in medical literature and euthanasia discourse. The term physician assisted suicide (PAS) goes back to Oregon Death with Dignity Act, 1996. The term was most commonly used until lately when it started to be replaced by physician assisted dying (PAD). Obviously, there must be some causes of this replacement. According to Clarence H. Braddock III and Mark R. Tonelli [4], the causesare in negative association of the word suicide which is rather inappropriate to comealong witha physician. This phrase could have a negative impact on doctor - patient relationship. Suicidal people are treated and their decisions are recognized as illegal, and doctors in this situation continue treatment even the patient refuses it, so us PASbecame inappropriate due to its relation to suicide and mental illnesses. Meanwhile, the term physician assisted dying (PAD)appeared to be replacingphysician assisted suicide (PAS) in texts which support voluntary withdrawal from life. This replacement is rather symptomatic as it seems to be a marker of the society`s more tolerant attitude to euthanasia. Both PAD and PAS denote the practice whereby a person suffering from a terminal illness is supported to end their life by a doctor. The difference is purely emotional and the one of political correctness: PAS indicates who assists suicide, whereas PAD does not, as if a patient dies on their own. Our analysis has clearly demonstrated that the term physician assisted dying PADhas become a double euphemism. Die with dignity & Death with Dignity Die with dignity or death with dignity are the most expressive and emotional phrases in euthanasia vocabulary. Death with dignitymeans dying on one’s own terms, death of honor and respect. This expression is frequently used in PAD`s supporters’ texts and blogs.The widespread use of die with dignity expression in mass media and the regular substitution of euthanasia by die with dignity have become a powerful trend in euthanasia discourse. This is another indicator that there is a certain shift in public opinion to a more tolerant attitude to euthanasia. Right to die This collocation certainly deserves research scrutiny. According to Cambridge Dictionary “right to die is the belief that a person should be allowed to die naturally rather than being kept alive by medical methods when they are suffering and unlikely to get well.” [2] In the article entitled “Unanimity on Death with Dignity - Legalizing Physician-Assisted Dying in Canada” this idiomatic phrase is used in positive context. The author argues that legalizing physician-assisted dying isnot acceptable for all of us; however, he says that “…society is acknowledging that denying people the right to die with dignity and safety is even more repellent.”[5]It is significant that right to dieis syntacticallyequal toright to life - the basic human rightfixed in the majority of constitutions around the world. We argue that the use of right to die is aimed atequating the concepts of death and life in mass consciousness and developing tolerant attitude to euthanasia. End-of-life option This phrase became common after CNN interviewwith Brittany Maynard which was then published under the title“My right to death with dignity at 29” in November 2, 2014. This interview and heroin’s life became an iconic event in euthanasia discourse. The story is about the woman, who was diagnosed with brain cancer and chose PAD as an acceptable solution. End-of-life option means “freedom or right to spend the final part of life in a specified place or state”. Brittany says that “It (death with dignity) is an end-of-life option for mentally competent, terminally ill patients with a prognosis of six months or less to live.”[6] This story shows that American society was ready for a wider implementation of euthanasia. Conclusion Our researchhasindicated that the language of euthanasia is complex and ever-changing. Euthanasia vocabulary is still developing and increasing, new and modified expressions are being addedconstantly to the lexical core. The general trend for euthanasia discourse is avoiding the term euthanasia and replacing it by euphemisms which are to emphasize positive connotations. This language changes seem to reflect changes in people`s attitude to the concept and practice of euthanasia. A neutral and even positive vocabulary is likely to indicate a more tolerant or positive attitude to the problem.The traditional vocabulary of euthanasia neither covers all aspect of this problem nor suitable for developing a positive opinion in mass consciousness. This is the cause of a more frequent use of end-of-life option, physician assisted dying, die with dignity, etc.in euthanasia discourse.×
About the authors
N S Kondaurov
Voronezh N.N. Burdenko State Medical University, Voronezh, Russia; foreign Languages Chair
A O Stebletsova
Voronezh N.N. Burdenko State Medical University, Voronezh, Russia; foreign Languages Chair
References
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- https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ euthanasia
- Brad Mattes. Assisted suicide no longer just for the terminally ill://2016 URL:https://www.lifesitenews. com/opinion/assisted-suicide-no-longer-just-for-theterminally-ill (Date of the address: 03.02.2017)
- Clarence H. Braddock III, MD, MPH, Mark R. Tonelli, MD, MA. Physician Aid-in- Dying://1998 URL: https://depts.washington.edu/bioethx/topics/pad.html (Date of the adress:03.02.2017)
- Amir Attaran, D.Phil., LL.B. Unanimity on Death with Dignity - Legalizing Physician- Assisted Dying in Canada // N Engl J Med 2015. - Р.372:2080-2082
- Brittany Maynard. My right to death with dignity at 29://2014 URL: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/07/ opinion/maynard-assisted-suicide-cancer-dignity (Date of the address: 03.02.2017)