Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
  • In Person

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

Note: This is a past event, additional resources may be available below.

Mon Aug 10, 2026

Date

Mon Aug 10, 2026
5:30pm – 6:30pm MDT

Location

Paepcke Auditorium
1000 N. Third Street
Aspen, CO

Contact

    [email protected]
    970.544.7970

Hosts

  1. Aspen Community Programs

Presented as part of the Murdock Mind, Body, Spirit Series.

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.
Paepcke Auditorium, doors at 5:00 pm

Registration
This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required, and capacity is established on a first-come, first-served basis. Once an event is at capacity, we will have an in-person waitlist at the door.

Public registration is now open for summer 2026. Please click here to register.

Parking
Parking is very limited. Please carpool, walk, bike, or ride RFTA.

Deborah Tannen is a Distinguished University Professor in the Linguistics Department at Georgetown University. Among her many books, You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation was on The New York Times best seller list for nearly four years, including eight months as #1, and has been translated into 31 languages. Her books You’re Wearing THAT?, about mothers and grown daughters, and You Were Always Mom’s Favorite!, about adult sisters, were also New York Times best sellers, and Talking from 9 to 5: Women and Men at Work was a New York Times business best seller. Her most recent book is a memoir entitled Finding My Father.

She has written for and been featured in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Harvard Business Review. She has appeared on Oprah, The Colbert Report, 20/20, Good Morning America, the Today Show, PBS NewsHour, Nightline, and many shows on CNN and NPR. In addition to her linguistic research and writing, she has published poems, short stories, and personal essays. Her play “An Act of Devotion” is included in The Best American Short Plays: 1993 1994. Her next book, about apologies, will be published in spring 2027.

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