The best TED talks for corporate communicators

(Editor’s note: This was one of the top viewed stories of 2014. We’re rerunning it as part of a look back at the articles that captivated our readers the most.)

Have you ever wanted to ask Disney filmmakers how they write magical and unforgettable stories?

Do you think it would be fun to chat with a linguist about whether adding “selfie” to the dictionary signals the demise of English?

Do you want to know what the man who curates TED talks thinks makes a compelling speech?

If so, today is your lucky day.

Those topics are among the nine TED talks corporate communicators should watch. The others discuss even more pertinent issues, like how to get engineers to cut back on jargon, and how your body language not only affects how others see you, but how you see yourself.

Without further ado, here are the talks. Let us know if you have any to add to the list.

1. “Txtng is killing language. JK!!!” (John McWhorter)

What it’s about: John McWhorter, an American linguist and political commentator, explains why texting does not mark English’s demise.