Vocabulary Study Guide: Benjamin Franklin for English III

Benjamin Franklin

Poor Richard's Almanack

pseudonym

a pen name; a fictitious name used (usually by an author) to conceal his or her identity.

almanac

an annual publication containing useful information that may include calendars, phases of the moon, sunrise times, etc. published early for over 25 years

aphorism

a brief statement (usually only one sentence long) that expresses some truth about life in an easily remembered form.

epitaph

a brief poem of commemorative inscription on a tombstone.

Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Patrick Henry

Speech to the Virginia

Convention

Thomas Paine

The Crisis

Thomas Paine

Common Sense

Thomas Jefferson

Declaration of Independence

Allusion

is a reference to something from culture that is only hinted at and not fully explained.

analogy

a comparison between two things in order to describe or explain one thing by examining its similarities with another thing.

aphoristic style

Uses sentences that are not chains in the links of an argument, but memorable statement using a poetic devices.

autobiography

Autobiography: a written history of a

person's life written by himself or herself.

deism

An 18th century philosophy based on rationalism that believed God created the world, but no longer takes part in it.

emotional appeal

speak to the hearts of the audience and address their hopes and fears

logical appeal

sound reasons to support an opinion or endorse a course of action

parallelism

arrangement of corresponding

parts of a sentence or group of sentences

in similar grammatical forms.

persuasion

is a form of speaking or writing that aims

to convince an audience to have a certain belief

or to take a specific action.

rationalism

The belief that human beings can arrive at truth by using reason, rather than by relying on the authority of the past, on religious faith or on intuition.

repetition

using a word or phrase more

than once in close proximity within a

written work.

rhetorical question

is a question posed for emphasis

that does not require an

answer.

dominion

the right or power to rule over or control.

eloquence

using language with fluency or aptness;

an elegant manner of speech.

impious

irreverent; ungodly; lacking respect for

god or religious practices.

ravage

do ruinous damage; savage destruction.

relinquish

to give up; put aside or desist from.

assent

(v.) to express agreement; (n.) agreement

despotism

the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel and oppressive way.

opprobrium

(n.) disgrace arising from shameful conduct; contempt, reproach

perfidy

faithlessness, treachery

tenure

Period during which something is held

virtue

a particular moral excellence; goodness.

temperance

moderation or self-restraint, usually in consumption, esp. alcohol.

frugality

careful in spending and saving; lack of wastefulness, especially in spending.

industry

devoted at work, labor or a task.

sincerity

freedom from deceit, hypocrisy or duplicity.

tranquility

calm; serenity.

humility

modest in opinion or estimate of one's own

importance.

Correlative Conjuntions: Both...

...and

Correlative Conjuntions: Either

...or

Correlative Conjuntions: Neither

..nor

Correlative Conjuntions: Not

only...but also

Correlative Conjuntions: Whether

...or

What are used in emotionals (pathos) appeals?

words, images, and anecdotes

What are used in logical (logos) appeals?

facts, statistics, and examples

anecdote

a short and interesting story

often used to support or

demonstrate some point

and often to make the

audience laugh.