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Abraham Lincoln

What can we learn from Abraham Lincoln on Clear, concise writing

By Philip Yaffe

Abraham Lincoln, America emblematic 16th President (1861-65), was never known to be a great writer or a great orator. Yet he wrote one of the speeches the most highly praised and often quoted in the story. He was probably so good because he has clearly expressed his controlled passion towards the event monuments which he spoke. Nevertheless, it is possible to analyze it dispassionately and learn some important lessons.

This great piece of oratory is known simply as the Gettysburg Address because it was delivered by President Lincoln in 1863 at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to mark a key victory in the Civil War.
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Some reports suggest that he scribbled on the back of an envelope just before arriving at Gettysburg. It is a myth, but the emotion it generates is that the story seems more plausible.

Let's analyze the speech sentence by sentence. But first read the whole thing - there are only 272 words - as a first approach to appreciate this masterpiece in miniature, it really is.

The Gettysburg Address (November 19, 1863)

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war testing whether that nation - or any nation so conceived and so dedicated - May last longer. We met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who gave their lives that that nation might live. It is entirely appropriate and proper that we should.

But in a broader sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.

The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they have done here. It is for us the living, rather, devoting himself here to the unfinished work that those who fought here have thus far so nobly.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. It is from these honored dead we increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. And that government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Analysis

Sentence 1

Eighty-seven years, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

The language of the mid-19th century was a bit more ornate than what we use today. But it seems that Mr. Lincoln deliberately used a formula of such importance to his first words almost biblical. He could have said, "Eighty-seven years, our country was founded on the idea that all men are created equal. "Almost the same thing, is it?

Sentence 2

Now we are engaged in a great civil war testing whether that nation - or any nation so conceived and so dedicated - can last a long time.

The sentence begins: "Now we are engaged in a great civil war ...." The language is very simple, almost trivial, suggesting that War is a mean and dirty. The rest of the sentence, then returns to a more sophisticated language to ennoble the purposes of war. Note the repetition of words "Designed" and "dedicated" to the sentence 1. This reinforces the impact of the declaration, which would have been seriously weakened if Mr. Lincoln was thought mandatory to avoid such repetition.

Sentence 3

We met on a great battlefield of that war.

It's another banal statement. It could easily be combined with Sentence 4, saying: "battlefield of that war to devote himself ...." But notice how much more it stands by itself. This is an excellent example of the "separation" technique, ie dividing a sentence to increase its impact.

Sentence 4

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who gave their lives that that nation might live.

This sentence contains a time of repetition, or at least close to a repeat: "... Who gave their lives that that nation might live. "The words" life "and" live "complement each other and strengthen the mind of Mr. Lincoln. He could have chosen to "survive", "Overcoming", "prosperous", or a dozen other alternatives to avoid this repetition close. But none of them were far from being so effective.

Sentence 5

It is entirely appropriate and fitting that we should do that.

Yet another banal statement, with a dramatic contrast between the sophisticated statement that preceded and sophistication following statement.

Sentence 6

But in a broader sense, we can not consecrate, we can not dedicate, we can not not hallow this ground.

Note the proximity created by repeating the words "dedicate", "consecrate", "holy". It is almost tautological, as it was supposed to be to emphasize the thought.

Text 7

The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.

Note the repetition of the word "consecrated": the tautology continues, further emphasizing the thought of the preceding sentence.

Sentence 8

The world will little note nor will long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

Oh, what an understatement! Mr. Lincoln probably really believed, but he was wrong. Almost all American schoolchildren learn by heart these words, and the speech is known and recognized as a masterpiece beyond borders of the United States.

Paragraph 9

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. It is from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. We decide here fervently that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. And that government of the people by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

This phrase, although divided by periods in written form, is actually a single, uniform thinking. However, it is fairly easy to understand through the repetition of the word "devotion" and using "smart house", said by repeated use of the word "only".

The sentence expresses a powerful condemnation of Mr. Lincoln's war aims which he hated passionately yet found himself compelled to pursue. The "chip" has become almost the last America's national motto: "That the government of the people by the people for the people, shall not perish from the earth. "

The Gettysburg Address appears to be deceptively simple, but the techniques Write it uses are impeccably professional.

To be so clear and concise while saying this is really an achievement beautiful. This should be an inspiration to us all.

Philip Yaffe is a former journalist, columnist / with The Wall Street Journal and a consultant in international marketing communication. He currently teaches and conducts workshops in effective writing and speaking in Brussels, Belgium. His recently published book The approach Gettysburg writing and speaking as a professional is available at Amazon (amazon.com) and other online booksellers.

For more information, please contact:

Philip Yaffe
Brussels, Belgium
Tel: 32 (0) 2 660 0405
phil.yaffe @ yahoo.com, @ gmail.com phil.yaffe

About the Author

Philip Yaffe is a former writer with The Wall Street Journal and international marketing communication consultant. Now semi-retired, he teaches courses in persuasive communication in Brussels, Belgium. Because his clients use English as a second or third language, his approach to writing and public speaking is somewhat different from other communication coaches. He is the author of The Gettysburg Approach to Writing & Speaking like a Professional. Contact: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com.

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