Fourteen Points: Anaphora

    Fourteen Points: Anaphora

      Sometimes a speaker repeats the same word at the beginning of several sentences to emphasize a point. Sometimes this is annoying. Sometimes this is poetic. Sometimes, this makes for history-shaking political documents.

      At the end of the Fourteen Points, Wilson goes on a tear with the word "we."

      We have no jealousy of German greatness, and there is nothing in this programme that impairs it. We grudge her no achievement or distinction of learning or of pacific enterprise such as have made her record very bright and very enviable. We do not wish to injure her or to block in any way her legitimate influence or power. We do not wish to fight her either with arms or with hostile arrangements of trade… (Conclusion.6-9)

      Repeating "we" reinforces the idea of a unified international community of free nations, although technically Wilson is only speaking for the U.S. It also contributes to the conciliatory tone: basically, leave Britney—er, Germany—alone.

      The best way to remember anaphora in the Fourteen Points? "This little president cried 'we, we, we' all the way home." (Childish? Yes. Effective? Also yes.)