Linguist Amanda Montell explains why people are so intrigued by the phenomenon of cults and why cult-like language is so popular across American culture, including in religious groups, corporations, and gyms.

How do you know if a group is a cult?

Language scholar Amanda Montell dives into the world of 'cultish' language across a spectrum of social influence — from overeager spin class instructors to actual cult leaders like Jim Jones or Charles Manson.

Montell grew up with a great interest in the world of cults, her father having lived with the X cult as a child.

Montell's first book, Wordslut, highlighted the history of gendered language from a feminist perspective.

Montell co-hosts the podcast Sounds Like A Cult, which addresses 'cultish' aspects of pop culture obsessions like The Bachelor and the royal family.

In Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism, Montell interviews cult survivors and draws on her own personal experience with 'cultish' companies and communities.

As a linguist, Montell shares a unique perspective on what cults and 'cultish' movements have in common: shared language that appeals to human emotions and our need to fit in.