How would the Gettysburg address be worded in modern language?

Answer 1

Old style (original)"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon 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, can long endure.

We are 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 here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this, but in a larger sense we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot 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 did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us: That from these honored dead we take 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...shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth."

Modernized (and simplified)Eighty-seven years ago, the North American English colonists declared their independence from from England and became The United States of America. They founded this nation on freedom and equality. Now we have become enmeshed in a war amongst ourselves, testing whether or not a nation based on freedom and equality can last.

Where are gathered today where a great battle of that war took place. We are here to dedicate part of this land as a cemetery for the soldiers who died in that battle--soldiers who fought to keep the United States whole, and not divided. It is right that we should dedicate the land, but we here today cannot make this ground any more or less important or revered than the soldiers who died here have already done.

The rest of the world will pay little attention to our ceremony here today, but it will never forget the battle that was fought here. It is we, who now stand here, who must make sure that the soldiers who died here did not die in vain. We must dedicate ourselves to the causes for which they gave their lives: That the slaves be granted their freedom, and that our nation not be divided.

In-line comparisonFourscore 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.

This means that 87 years ago (from the time of the Gettysburg Address) our ancestors built up a new nation where there would be liberty and the belief that everyone is equal.

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

This means we were then going through a great war which would determine if this nation (or any nation with liberty and equality) can last a while.

We are 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 here gave their lives that that nation might live.

The Gettysburg Address was delivered during a dedication ceremony for the soldiers, and it took place at Cemetery Hill (a site of the battle of Gettysburg). People were gathered together on the battlefield to dedicate a portion of it as a cemetery for the soldiers who gave their lives defending our nation.

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.

This means that it was sensible to dedicate Cemetery Hill to the soldiers, and yet it really wasn't in their power to do that - to set apart that section as sacred. The brave soldiers who fought in the battle had already done that more than the gathered people ever could, simply by fighting for freedom there.

The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

This is saying that no one will remember what was being said there (which is ironic because this is an incredibly famous speech), but rather what will be remembered is what the soldiers did there. So instead of dedicating Cemetery Hill to the dead soldiers, the people should be dedicated to what all the brave men have done, to their unfinished work that was brought so far.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take 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.

This means that these dead soldiers gave their lives fighting for freedom, and that the nation's people are now devoted even more to freedom because of that. Those soldiers will not have died in vain because "we the people" are going to be devoted to what they fought for. "We the people" will make sure that liberty and equality remain. And "We the people" will make sure that a government of the people, by the people, and for the people is going to be here to stay.

Answer 2

Fourscore 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.

This means that 87 years ago (from the time of the Gettysburg Address) our ancestors built up a new nation where there would be liberty and the belief that everyone is equal.

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

This means we were then going through a great war which would determine if this nation (or any nation with liberty and equality) can last a while.

We are 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 here gave their lives that that nation might live.

The Gettysburg Address was delivered during a dedication ceremony for the soldiers, and it took place at Cemetery Hill (a site of the battle of Gettysburg). People were gathered together on the battlefield to dedicate a portion of it as a cemetery for the soldiers who gave their lives defending our nation.

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.

This means that it was sensible to dedicate Cemetery Hill to the soldiers, and yet it really wasn't in their power to do that - to set apart that section as sacred. The brave soldiers who fought in the battle had already done that more than the gathered people ever could, simply by fighting for freedom there.

The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

This is saying that no one will remember what was being said there (which is ironic because this is an incredibly famous speech), but rather what will be remembered is what the soldiers did there. So instead of dedicating Cemetery Hill to the dead soldiers, the people should be dedicated to what all the brave men have done, to their unfinished work that was brought so far.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take 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.

This means that these dead soldiers gave their lives fighting for freedom, and that the nation's people are now devoted even more to freedom because of that. Those soldiers will not have died in vain because "we the people" are going to be devoted to what they fought for. "We the people" will make sure that liberty and equality remain. And "We the people" will make sure that a government of the people, by the people, and for the people is going to be here to stay. I would also suggest checking out Simple English Wikipedia, they have a pretty good translation there. http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Address