Shelby Hume
University of South Hertfordshire, UK
Title: Bridging the chasm in palliative care: On uses of literature as language and language as literature
Biography
Biography: Shelby Hume
Abstract
A widely recognised problem in palliative care is maintaining the engagement of the patient with meaningful activities which can provide a counterpoint to the anxiety many in this position experience. One frequently used strategy is to encourage engagement with literature. Linguistics and literature have long been at the heart of the human condition but are regrettably two domains which often are divided in research. In this paper I will argue that the study of linguistics and the study of literature are two sides of the same coin and should be regarded as such. Evidence will be drawn from sources as diverse as the works of William Shakespeare and recent issues of the New York Times, in order to point to the fundamental points of contact and synergy, as well as bifurcation and divergence, in works of literary and non-fictional natures. The findings to be presented in this paper are the outcome of a diachronic study of generic specificity. Implications for end-of-life care will be discussed.