deceased 復習

２７日、アメリカのオバマ大統領が広島を訪問しました。この記事では、被爆者である伊藤次男さんの見解が語られています。

Hibakusha ‘shares same feeling’ with Obama

On Saturday morning, the day after the historic visit to Hiroshima by U.S. President Barack Obama, Tsugio Ito, an 81-year-old atomic bombing survivor in Aki Ward, Hiroshima, repeatedly recalled Obama’s remarks given at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

Ito lost his elder brother in the atomic bombing, and his eldest son was killed by terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

When Obama’s visit to the park was being planned, Ito was invited to the event. “Though it seems some people point out that [Obama] did not apologize or present practical plans, when the U.S. president shook hands with hibakusha [atomic bombing survivors] it was a symbolic moment for realizing a world without nuclear weapons,” Ito said on Saturday.

His elder brother, Hiroshi, was killed by the bomb at the age of 12. His eldest son, Kazushige, became a victim of the 2001 terrorist attack in New York, where he worked as a bank employee in the city’s World Trade Center. Kazushige was then 35 years old, and his body was never found.

On Friday, Ito entered the park carrying portrait photos of his brother and son in a bag. He did not have an opportunity to talk directly with Obama. However, Ito said: “What I wanted to say is that the world is a single family of people overcoming walls of nationality, race and religion. Listening to the president’s words made me think that he and I share the same feeling.”

Immediately after returning home, Ito sat in front of a Buddhist family altar and talked to the souls of the deceased.

“Japanese and U.S. leaders laid wreaths to war victims. Wreaths were also offered for Kazushige in New York.”

Ito felt deeply that he had witnessed a historic moment after watching the scene of Obama shaking hands with hibakusha and hugging one of them, which was repeatedly aired on TV programs on Saturday morning.

“Sharing a spirit of seeking forgiveness among people who have fought each other can only create a world without conflict. The same can be said about terrorism,” Ito said.Speech

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002979057

今回取り上げる表現は、“deceased”です。『ウィズダム英和辞典』(第３版、三省堂)を引いたところ、第２義に「〚the~；名詞的に；集合的に〛(特に最近の)死者、故人」とありました。

Macmillan Dictionary.comでは、“the deceased a dead person or people, especially when the death or deaths were recent”と定義されていました。『ウィズダム英和辞典』でも同じように説明されていましたが、最近の故人を指すようです。しかし、今回の記事では最近とは言えない故人のことを指しているので、例外もあるようです。

今回の“talked to the souls of the deceased”で、「故人の魂に語りかけた」などと解釈できると思います。(Blue Sky)