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Otherwords
How Cult Leaders Use Language
Season 4
Episode 6
What do Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Hitler have in common? They were all obsessively studied by Jim Jones, the cult leader who convinced and coerced more than 900 members of his "People's Temple" to commit suicide in the Jonestown Massacre. All these figures are known as "charismatic leaders," people who inspire intense devotion or emotional attachment.
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The English language is chock full of sailing jargon but why is that?
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How do we communicate without words? With our bodies. Body language!
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Headlines have sprung up all over declaring that the Southern American dialect is on its way out.
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Why do we use such unusual words for the people we love?
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Let’s dig deep and find out why certain names simply fall out of fashion.
8:32
There are many words you say incorrectly but don’t know you are saying incorrectly.
8:59
Linguists use language everyday to solve crimes. Let’s take a look the most famous ones!
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Why does switching from texting to talking feel like you’re trying to speak a different language?
6:38
What are "argots" or what some call "verbal jazz", and how is it used across the globe?