Jack Mangala: Slang and Cultural Expressions

Approx. time Expression Explanation
0:30 wine and dine treat someone at a nice restaurant, trying to impress
0:57 talent acquisition bringing in good workers
2:25 secular non-religious, worldly
4:25 mixed feelings having both positive and negative feelings about something
6:05 not uncommon it happens, it’s not rare
8:12 find an outlet find an activity that fits with a person’s need (creative, physical, cultural, spiritual, etc.)
8:40 yin and yang both sides: back and forth, light and dark, male and female, positive and negative
10:03 put that talent acquisition hat on take on the perspective of finding good talent
11:47 cracks to fall through gaps in any system where things can get missed, delayed, lost, or neglected
12:25 courting activities that encourage a person to become attracted
12:42 hot buttons very important issues
13:16 onboarding bringing someone into an organization: welcoming, teaching, creating a fit
13:53 affinity networks groups of people who are organized around common interests
15: 05 cultural nuances the small but important differences between cultures
15:33 unconscious bias having opinions for or against someone (or something) without knowing that you have these feelings; sometimes called “implicit bias”

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.