From Deficit to Difference: How Neurodiversity Shapes Language Use

It is often taken for granted that autistic and other neurodivergent people have a deficit in communication, especially with figurative language such as metaphor, irony and humour.

This lecture uncovers a wealth of original, creative and unconventional uses of figurative language, suggesting people with different mindsets have a different set of norms for language use. Rather than considering one set of norms as deficient, neurodivergent and neurotypical people need to invest into understanding each other and the diversity of human minds.