Sook Wilkinson Show: Slang and Cultural Expressions

Approx. time Expression Explanation
1:00 clinical psychologist someone who assesses, diagnoses, and treats mental disorders
1:10 Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission http://1.usa.gov/1hyGki6
1:35 way back then in that very distant time, many years ago.  Sook, who is recently retired, was referring to her earliest days in the U.S. as a college student.
2:26 siblings brothers and sisters
3:02 a couple bucks a few dollars
3:06 FaceTime a communication application on Apple iPhones that allow callers to hear and see each other
3:21 family reunion when many family members gather in one location to be together
3:36 back and forth go there and then return (many times)
3:46 special education educating students who have special needs, including learning challenges, physical disabilities, emotional disorders, behavioral challenges, and developmental disorders
3:50 doctorate a post-graduate research degree, for example, Ph.D., Ed.D., or Th.D.
4:02 devote your attention place most of your focus
4:24 excruciating severe, painful, intense, violent, or acute
4:36 aha moment is a moment when you suddenly realize something new or surprising and say, “Aha!”
4:54 puzzling unknown, hard to answer
5:11 Korean heritage Korean family background 
5:53 phenomenological research studying experience that people have lived (not theoretical)
5:57 qualitative methodology investigating the “how” and “why” of behavior
6:03 play therapy treatment that engages the patients in play activity as part of their healing
6:40 distressed upset, anxious, sad, troubled
7:17 anxiety worried, nervous
7:30 Caucasian white people, racial-ethnic tribes from Europe
7:36 clinical experience work done in treatment clinics
8:39 crib at an orphanage infant bed in a home for parentless children
8:54 caregiver someone who takes care of someone very young, very old, or very weak.
8:56 forge a relationship build a strong relationship
9:27 adoptees children who are given a new home by non-birth families
9:33 cyclical happening over and over again (in an ongoing cycle)
10:10 profound philosophical answer very deeply thoughtful answer
10:15 resurface to come up again
10:47 inopportune times at times which are not convenient
11:21 advocacy working and speaking to influence economic, political, or educational policy and resources
11:33 ethnic group socially defined group based on common ancestry or culture
11:53 exponentially increasing rapidly
13:19 give voice to speak about, empower, not be silent
13:33 eligible to having the right or the approval to do something
13:59 get yourself around be mobile, take yourself where you need to go

Alan Headbloom

Alan advises Americans how to be global citizens and expats how to fit in to Michigan culture without annoying their native coworkers and clients. He also tweets and blogs at the intersection of language and culture. Over decades, he's traveled, studied, or lived on six continents, putting strange foods into his mouth and emitting strange sounds from it. His use of English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Swedish, Hausa, and Japanese all improve with alcohol use. He gives invited public presentations on culture and unsolicited private advice on English grammar and usage; the latter isn't always appreciated. Visit his website for information on consulting, coaching, or speaking engagements.