Final answer:
Lincoln's phrase in the Gettysburg Address highlights that their words cannot compare to the sacrifices made by the soldiers, so the correct answer is E. convey the idea that a speech is meaningless compared to the sacrifice of a life.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln uses the phrase 'we cannot dedicate-we cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow' to emphasize the humility that must be maintained in the act of dedicating the battlefield. He acknowledges that the brave men who fought and died on that field have already enshrined it far beyond our poor power to add or detract. This statement conveys the idea that a speech is relatively meaningless compared to the sacrifice of a life, a powerful sentiment reflecting the somber reality of the Civil War and the ultimate devotion of the soldiers to the Union cause. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is E. convey the idea that a speech is meaningless compared to the sacrifice of a life.