would you be able to tell danial tammet has autism?

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And I'll repeat it again, this isn't social interaction.

Talking on a couple of things that the individual in question knows a lot about is a symptom of Asperger's -- it's what "we' are good at. The same with public speaking. Lecturing.

He would interact the exact* same way or not at all if he was at school and a girl tried to show interest in him.

*That's the only way you can tell, when it's genuine social interaction

Some of us are talking about his body language, facial expressions, etc. that would show whether this is social interaction or not.

I don't display much in terms of facial expression or body language under any circumstances, social situation or interview. I'm actually worse at interviews, having been interviewed twice, because I didn't know what to say.

You can't tell if he's making appropriate eye contact or not (staring through someone is the same as not looking at them at all). Other body language can't be determined (clumsy and awkward movements are generally picked up when watching them walk); motor mannerisms such as hand twirling and flapping aren't seen in AS at this age (unless stressed in a real social situation).

The only nonverbal cue you can really tell are voice characteristics, whether monotone or sing-song, and also interrupting in conversation (perhaps saying inappropriate things for the context, but given a really good rote memory, you can have a good accumulation of correct phrases to use. Interrupting and inappropriate aren't nonverbal though).

How he appears would be how I'd expect an adult with AS to manifest in a fairly mechanical situation, especially with a good rote memory. Even the DSM-IV-TR states that a good rote memory can be used to compensate*.

*

Although I didn't perceive the cues people have talked about in this thread, I do not believe that this is remotely true. I doubt people cease to use nonverbal cues when interviewing. Especially when on a talk show such as David Letterman's, which is somewhat casual, involves banter and other social behaviors outside of a strict interview environment. Nonverbal, cues aren't formulaic gestures and expressions that people use, they're mostly automatic as a part of communication.

No, I didn't mean that. He'd actually be displaying more nonverbal cues in this situation than a social one.

I mean that you couldn't tell all that much regarding his if he had AS in this context. It's picking and choosing something that's known to be a strength in those with AS and questioning whether you can see it or not (which is what the OP did).

Oh, I understand what you are saying, and I actually agree. Nevermind, then.

A friend lent me born in a blue day and its a pretty aspie-ish book id say(ramblings that may not seem coherent, how he doesnt understand why he has to let others win at board games from time to time...)

I dont know how many takes they did for this video, not able to watch it right now

Are you all as articulate as Daniel tammet and other authors like Donna Williams? I'm not, so I'm always surprised to see other autistics who are great at talking.

I feel the same

We are told that this is because people vary a lot and some have or are able to develop better social skills than others

It's a mistake to think you are meant to be the same as these high-achievers though - they probably didn't have the same level of difficulty cognitively as ourselves in the first place ie
it's never a level playing field

I never aspire to be like these people, I just think they were more fortunate to not be as affected by their ASD as myself and others.

I don't know about Donna Williams, but yeah, I'd be able to talk as well as him on a set topic in an interview.

Talking about a set topic is something that's not a deficit in prototypical Asperger's.

Change it to social interaction, and I have nothing (no idea what to talk about if there's no topic).

Nope. I'm not.
I'm OK in rehearsed situations such as when teaching or giving presentations (I teach as part of my job, and it's the bit I enjoy the best). But even then I'm not all that articulate, and always make sure folk have notes to take away with them of what I was *trying* to say but probably didn't!

I'm very, very articulate at certain times, and very, very inarticulate at others.

Caffeine helps.

If it's a topic that I have extensive information on, I can be more articulate. If it's an impromptu topic that I know little about, or stuff I have no interest in, I am not very articulate at all.

Another point of reference is that I recall one day I felt that I was speaking very quickly, but my therapist told me I was speaking at a "normal" speed, as compared to other people. If my default is slower than most people, I am not sure what that means.

I also find that people perceive me as having been articulate when I have been extremely frustrated because I could not say what I wanted to say, and attempts to do so were repeatedly interrupted. I don't know if they're just trying to reassure me that I sound fine (which is irrelevant information) or that they got something out of what I said (which is not what I wanted to say, which is still irrelevant).

All the people in academia are articulate and talk about their research all the time. I always stood out for my lack of talking about research. I felt that it was fun to do it, but I didn't want to talk about it. That would be me making my life hard. But it seemed like people were all supposed to act like stereotypical aspies in a way that I couldn't do.

Also articulate are children on reality shows like Extreme Home Makeover and Wife Swap. I wonder if the children are told what to say.