Ana Ramirez-Saenz: Slang and Cultural Expressions

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Approx. time Expression Explanation
2:32 had my fill had enough, couldn’t take (or eat) any more>
3:36 ain't [informal] isn’t, aren’t
4:09 tenacity strong ability to stick with a task until completed
6:25 from the ground up going up from the lowest level
6:42 impetus motivation, drive, energy
10:31 litigation lawsuit, suing, taking to court
11:09 runs the gamut covers all parts of the spectrum, from the least to the most
11:36 the ahas the moments of deep realization when you say “Aha!”
13:42 strident harsh, loud, unpleasant
14:54 phenotyping basic make-up of someone’s character
15:10 insatiable work ethic hungriness to always want to work hard
15:15 unwavering faith spiritual belief that doesn’t change
15:21 humility in service helping others in a humble way
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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.