Why modern communication still relies on ancient words and narratives.

All communication and connection depend on one thing: language. That’s why Laura Spinney says understanding language — where it comes from and how it evolves over time — can help us use it more effectively.

“Language is incredibly powerful,” says Spinney, an author and journalist published in the Atlantic, National Geographic, Nature, and New Scientist. As “humanity’s oldest tool,” language has evolved as we have, which Spinney explores in her latest book, Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global. In addition to the words themselves, there are also the stories that humans have carried with them for millennia. “Some stories that we still tell today,” Spinney notes, have remained stable for tens of thousands of years — providing more than just entertainment — shaping how we understand the world, share knowledge, and build community.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Spinney and host Matt Abrahams discuss why language and storytelling are fundamental to being human, what makes a story compelling, and how our ever-evolving language continues to be our best tool for communication and connection.

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Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:28) - Power & Limits of Language
(02:59) - Detecting Lies
(04:50) - Origins of Storytelling
(07:46) - What Makes a Great Story
(10:35) - Proto-Indo-European Language
(12:56) - Language Families & Connections
(15:10) - Language Clues in History
(17:21) - The Final Three Questions
(21:59) - Conclusion

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