Winston Churchill

Tough or a Fighter - is often said to be an asset, if someone has a serious illness, such as coronavirus, but this kind of language is helpful or misleading?

"I'm confident he will come through," said Dominic Raab , as he "because if there's one thing I know about it, Prime Minister , he is a Fighter ".

The state Secretary of the Federal foreign office, Mr Johnson ' s De Facto Deputy Prime Minister , has become the subject of criticism for his choice of language

It is not possible to fight a patient's "" a Virus , As If it is a visible, human adversaries, it is argued, That is The Job of the technology and paramedics. And, if anyone, he succumbs to it, it means That you have lost your "battle"?

It was a further reaction, when health Minister Matt Hancock echoed Mr Raab, his critics have the words:

Angharad Rudkin, a clinical psychologist at the University of Southampton, feels Mr Raab has a point.

"'The Fight -terminology' is very helpful, if the people are fully in control of the results, if in a difficult or negative situation," she says.

"For example, 'fight' through work or 'fight' their way through the traffic. It is less helpful if a person has little control over the outcome. "

With the Corona Virus , in contrast to the military conflict, The Enemy is invisible and in the people. Instead of weapons, The Public is invited to the boredom and deprivations, isolation and social distancing to pull, in order to prevent their spread.

In his address to The Nation on 23 March, of the further restrictions, Mr. Johnson himself clearly military language, stating That "in this fight, we can not doubt That each and every one of us is recruited directly. Each and every one of us is now forced to connect with each other".

a few weeks earlier, He Said : "the Crucial factor is That we do not forget what we can all do to fight this Virus is to wash the hands with soap and Hot Water for the length of time it takes to sing" Happy Birthday twice. "

But the clock was calling for a "fight" against coronavirus as a whole, do not ask, patients rather than doctors or Nurses - "take it", after he is infected.

"Not everyone is for fighting," says Dr. Rudkin. "Not everyone can fight. We need to give understanding and not judge others. Some can't win a fight or battle, brave and still, but we need to see this as more about The Power of the Attacker - The Virus - as well as the fragility of The Defender . "

In 2016, The Charity breast Cancer has Now raised a questioning its accuracy as a description of what a patient is going through.

Instead, the cut proposed "emotional language" and "simple, factual" alternative. These included "living with Cancer ", "recovering from Cancer treatment and after treatment for Cancer ".

Mr Raab's opponents might suggest, he does the same thing, if you of this, Mr. Johnson's coronavirus.

But language can not be seen completely outside of its historical context, as politicians are well aware of this.

Coronavirus is often World War as the greatest crisis the United Kingdom since the second.

it is Known, after the evacuation of Dunkirk in June 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill , A Warning against self-satisfaction and a long struggle ahead will be delivered.

In its most famous passage, he promised: "We will fight them on The Beaches . We will fight on The Landing grounds. We will fight in The Fields and in The Streets . We will fight in The Hills . We will Never Surrender . "

Could tap Mr Raab, a former boxer and a Black Belt in karate, in Church Illian rhetoric itself?

the state Secretary of The Federal foreign office's comments, while arguably dubious in the strict medical sense, have The Advantage of the "Plain English ", That "the people quickly to understand," in a fast-moving crisis, says Pete Davies , Managing Director of Manchester-based sugar PR, who advises corporate clients on crisis management and communication.

"If you would be Public Relations team and political communicators took into account the views of the language of the police on Twitter, there would be no time to important life-saving messages," he adds.

"it is a fact, this is a fight, collectively, we simply have to win. Politicians should not shy away from this term. "

On an individual basis, which is the center for Perioperative care has recommended to to reduce the people to the opportunity, hard to sick with coronavirus - the same advice for pre-surgery patients.

This could be interpreted as "battle-hardening", for the suffering, but That is not the same as "fighting" the disease, if it is in the contract.

As in the case of Mr Raab's words, says Dr. Rudkin, while you "can error" in the strict medical sense, the use of battle imagery "to offer more comfort than fear", because there is a feeling of empowerment.

to catch The idea of the Prime Minister , and coronavirus could extend, and The Feeling of a collective struggle.

"The important thing is That we as a whole planet, in this together," says Dr Rudkin says, "and there is a huge amount of power That comes from knowing That . "

On Wednesday in the Downing Street briefing, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak , said Mr. Johnson's condition was "improving" and he is "sitting in bed", although he is still in intensive care at St Thomas' hospital in London .

Source of news: bbc.com