The debate on euthanasia and assisted suicide is decided to a considerable extent at the level of language, before ethical argumentation begins. Starting from Austin's theory of performatives and Butler's extension of performativity, the paper analyses the linguistic strategies of legalisation advocates: euphemistic renaming, emotional framing, and the accumulation of positively valued terms, illustrated by the Slovenian bill of 2023. Alongside empirical studies on the influence of question wording, it engages the objection that the counter-terminology of opponents is equally performative, resolving it through a criterion of definitional transparency binding both sides. The conclusion grounds the theological dimension: the Christian tradition of the word commits its speakers to truthful language about the end of life.The requirement for truthful naming has ecumenical foundations: as well as being part of the Catholic tradition, it is also supported by the Evangelical and Orthodox traditions.
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