Day64_Celebrities appeal to medi

appeal to 向...呼吁

Public figures including politicians, authors and actors are appealing for change in the way the country talks about suicide.

appeal for 呼吁

Author Ian Rankin, London mayor Sadiq Khan, broadcaster Stephen Fry and DJ Lauren Laverne are among 130 **signatories **to a letter calling on the nation’s media to lead the way in transforming how suicide is covered.

signatory 签字方

call on 呼吁

lead the way in 在...方面起带头作用

The letter, which has been backed by cross-party MPs and mental health organisations Samaritans and Mind, states there should be an end to the use of the phrase “commit suicide”, which suggests suicide is a crime and suicidal thoughts are a sin, even though it has not been a crime in the UK since 1961.

backed 得到支持

cross-party 跨阵营的

commit 犯下某种罪行

sin 罪恶

This outdated form of words can imply suicide is a “selfish, cowardly, criminal or irreligious act rather than the manifestation of extreme mental distress and unbearable pain”, the letter states, and proposes the alternative description “died by suicide”.

outdated 过时的

form of words 说法

cowardly adj. 胆小的

irreligious

manifestation 显示表现

mental distress 精神痛苦

propose 建议

The letter says: “We should not describe a suicide as ‘easy’, ‘painless’, ‘quick’ or ‘effective’ and we should remember to look at the long-term consequences of failed suicide attempts, not forgetting the significant life-long pain for those left behind when someone does take their own life.”

significant 巨大的

does 在该句中表强调

It adds that reports of celebrity deaths carry greater risk of encouraging others due to over-identification by vulnerable people. Citing the suicide of US actor Robin Williams, it said a recent study identified a 10% increase in people killing themselves after his death. “This emphasises the responsibility that we all have when it comes to talking about suicide, ” it said.

Cite 引用

同义反复

celebrity/public figure

report/cover

appeal sb to do/appeal for sth/call on sb to do

pain/distress