Can We Talk? How Linguistic Style Can Make or Break Relationships @aspeninstitute
Can We Talk? How Linguistic Style Can Make or Break Relationships  @aspeninstitute
Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Linguist and best-selling author Deborah Tannen joins the Aspen Institute for a keynote about the power of language in shaping our relationships, workplaces, and public life. A distinguished university professor in the linguistics department at Georgetown University and author of You Just Don’t Understand, Tannen explores how subtle differences in conversational style can lead to misunderstanding or conflict—and how awareness of these differences can strengthen relationships and help us communicate more effectively across divides. Presented as part of the Murdock Mind, Body, Spirit Series.
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The Aspen Institute |

Can We Talk? How Linguistic Style Can Make or Break Relationships

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