Mira Krishnan: Slang and Cultural Expressions

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Approx. time Expression Explanation
:40 autism from early childhood, mental condition with difficulty in communicating, in forming relationships with other people, and in using language or abstract concepts
2:06 intermittently off and on, not continuously
4:12 black sheep person who is considered the bad example of the group
7:17 what made them tick what made them act or be the way they do or are
7:26 epilepsy neurological disorder with abnormal electrical activity in the brain causing sudden and recurring times of convulsions , sensory disturbance, or loss of consciousness
8:48 resiliency ability to come back after difficulty
9:03 savant person with detailed knowledge, especially in one field
9:25 neurotypical person with “normal” brain activity, not autistic
12:02 come out (informal expression) when LGBT persons begin to publicly present their sexual identity
12:22 tightly knit having very close interpersonal relationship
14:42 internalized racism when people from non-dominant racial groups feel a sense of shame or inferiority about themselves
15:39 can’t ever un-see impossible to take something away after it has been seen
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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.