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A Cognitive Linguistic Study of Sentence Comprehension Memory in Martin Luther King’s Jr. “I Have Been to the Mountain Top Speech”

Received: 28 October 2023    Accepted: 15 November 2023    Published: 24 November 2023
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Abstract

This study has investigated the workings of the mind in relation to sentence comprehension and memory, using, Dr. Martin Luther King’s Jr speech, “I Have been to The Mountain Top" as its data base. This is because most times listeners or readers of a text are faced with the challenge of how to resolve or interpret the meanings of the numerous sentences that come their way. Because some of the wordings in sentences could be very cumbersome to unravel, while others are clearer in meaning and intent. The objective of the study therefore, was to reveal the relationship between Cognitive linguistics, Sentence comprehension and memory in any given text or speech. Consequently, the study highlighted the various facets of the topic; which include sentence parsing, figurative language, inferences and prepositions, and how they all add up to help the listener or audience to interpret or resolve meanings in their memory or mind. This study therefore, revealed some of the styles and techniques that could help a sentence reader of a text or a listener of a speech; in this case, Martin Luther King’s Jr I HAVE BEEN TO THE MOUTAIN TOP SPEECH, to interpret the meaning of sentences in a text like we have done in this study, the reader or the listener of a speech must bear in mind the need to adhere to the techniques highlighted in this study in order to have a good grasp of a speech or a text.

Published in International Journal of Language and Linguistics (Volume 11, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijll.20231106.11
Page(s) 179-190
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Cognitive, Linguistic, Sentence-Comprehension, Memory, Speech

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    James, A., James Songden, R., Ojo, O., Saina’n Lagan, B., Yakubu Pane, A. (2023). A Cognitive Linguistic Study of Sentence Comprehension Memory in Martin Luther King’s Jr. “I Have Been to the Mountain Top Speech”. International Journal of Language and Linguistics, 11(6), 179-190. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20231106.11

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    ACS Style

    James, A.; James Songden, R.; Ojo, O.; Saina’n Lagan, B.; Yakubu Pane, A. A Cognitive Linguistic Study of Sentence Comprehension Memory in Martin Luther King’s Jr. “I Have Been to the Mountain Top Speech”. Int. J. Lang. Linguist. 2023, 11(6), 179-190. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20231106.11

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    AMA Style

    James A, James Songden R, Ojo O, Saina’n Lagan B, Yakubu Pane A. A Cognitive Linguistic Study of Sentence Comprehension Memory in Martin Luther King’s Jr. “I Have Been to the Mountain Top Speech”. Int J Lang Linguist. 2023;11(6):179-190. doi: 10.11648/j.ijll.20231106.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijll.20231106.11,
      author = {Anthony James and Rejoice James Songden and Onome Ojo and Blessing Saina’n Lagan and Atine Yakubu Pane},
      title = {A Cognitive Linguistic Study of Sentence Comprehension Memory in Martin Luther King’s Jr. “I Have Been to the Mountain Top Speech”},
      journal = {International Journal of Language and Linguistics},
      volume = {11},
      number = {6},
      pages = {179-190},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijll.20231106.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijll.20231106.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijll.20231106.11},
      abstract = {This study has investigated the workings of the mind in relation to sentence comprehension and memory, using, Dr. Martin Luther King’s Jr speech, “I Have been to The Mountain Top" as its data base. This is because most times listeners or readers of a text are faced with the challenge of how to resolve or interpret the meanings of the numerous sentences that come their way. Because some of the wordings in sentences could be very cumbersome to unravel, while others are clearer in meaning and intent. The objective of the study therefore, was to reveal the relationship between Cognitive linguistics, Sentence comprehension and memory in any given text or speech. Consequently, the study highlighted the various facets of the topic; which include sentence parsing, figurative language, inferences and prepositions, and how they all add up to help the listener or audience to interpret or resolve meanings in their memory or mind. This study therefore, revealed some of the styles and techniques that could help a sentence reader of a text or a listener of a speech; in this case, Martin Luther King’s Jr I HAVE BEEN TO THE MOUTAIN TOP SPEECH, to interpret the meaning of sentences in a text like we have done in this study, the reader or the listener of a speech must bear in mind the need to adhere to the techniques highlighted in this study in order to have a good grasp of a speech or a text.
    },
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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    AB  - This study has investigated the workings of the mind in relation to sentence comprehension and memory, using, Dr. Martin Luther King’s Jr speech, “I Have been to The Mountain Top" as its data base. This is because most times listeners or readers of a text are faced with the challenge of how to resolve or interpret the meanings of the numerous sentences that come their way. Because some of the wordings in sentences could be very cumbersome to unravel, while others are clearer in meaning and intent. The objective of the study therefore, was to reveal the relationship between Cognitive linguistics, Sentence comprehension and memory in any given text or speech. Consequently, the study highlighted the various facets of the topic; which include sentence parsing, figurative language, inferences and prepositions, and how they all add up to help the listener or audience to interpret or resolve meanings in their memory or mind. This study therefore, revealed some of the styles and techniques that could help a sentence reader of a text or a listener of a speech; in this case, Martin Luther King’s Jr I HAVE BEEN TO THE MOUTAIN TOP SPEECH, to interpret the meaning of sentences in a text like we have done in this study, the reader or the listener of a speech must bear in mind the need to adhere to the techniques highlighted in this study in order to have a good grasp of a speech or a text.
    
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Author Information
  • Department of English, Plateau State University, Bokkos, Nigeria

  • Department of English, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria

  • Department of English, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria

  • Department of English, Plateau State University, Bokkos, Nigeria

  • Department of English and Literary Studies, Federal University Kashere, Kashere, Nigeria

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