The Pledge of Allegiance (slow speed)

[MrUFO1010]

dam computer dam mute button

[xiBeTaylorx]

Could you do step by step? I want to learn it so I can teach my class :)

[BYUFanatic]

@xiBeTaylorx Hi there! Just sign along with the slow speed version. Pause it as necessary, go back if needed. ASL is not the same as English, so this is not a "sign for word" translation. Instead it is a conceptually and liguistically accurate translation directly in ASL. Good luck learning it! *smile*

[MrErwin887]

ithink it would help a little bit more if he spoke so i know what sign is for what word.

[BYUFanatic]

@MrErwin887 This video is intended to be a review for my ASL students that have already learned it in class, but need to practice at home. In addition, this is signed in ASL, so it is not the same as English (sign-for-word). However, the "normal speed" video is done at the same speed as it is spoken.

[kierrayoung23]

I did that in class.my teacher thought i was retarded .now im sad.

[BYUFanatic]

@kierrayoung23 I'm sorry your teacher thought that. Is this an ASL teacher?

[kierrayoung23]

@BYUFanatic no shes a fifth grade teacher . a plain one. i told her it was ASL . she thought it was cool i knew how to do it. but she still thinks i need mental help. now im just plain upset

[antoniusmax]

And as for the definition; GOVERNMENT? I would say maybe CITIZENS? or REPRESENTATIVES?

[BYUFanatic]

@antoniusmax You are not pledging allegiance to individual citizens. So that is inaccurate. Representatives ARE the government, but you are not pledging allegiance to individual representatives, but rather to the group as a whole. Thanks for your opinions though.

[antoniusmax]

I would back up and look at the bigger picture. Seems to me that what is being said is "I support the flag and the republic (the people) fir which it stands (it, it being the flag, and the american people for which it stands, or in this case, which it represents).

But you absolutely don't have to agree.^_^

[BYUFanatic]

@antoniusmax The "republic" is literally a government OF the people. Thus, my sign is accurate and correct. You might not like the current government representatives, but that still does not change the meaning (or my translation) of the Pledge of Allegiance.

[kimberlyjennery]

@BYUFanatic You are spot-on. A republic is a representative government of the people. Short of fingerspelling it, and what would be the point in doing that unnecessarily, "GOVERNMENT" is a perfectly reasonable and accurate interpretation/translation.

[BYUFanatic]

@kimberlyjennery Thanks for the response. *smile* Every once in a while I'll get an ASL student or someone else who thinks they're an "expert on ASL" that will disagree with my translation. I use it as a teaching moment to help them learn ASL a little better.

[kimberlyjennery]

@BYUFanatic I kind of just stumbled on your videos, I can't even recall what I was looking at now that led me here. After seeing your interpretations, I checked out a few more. It really was the only true interpretation, while still following the basic flow of the pledge, I found. Most of them are much more transliteral, and some are downright awful (for ASL)! The common gloss that is used for "republic" seems to be COUNTRY. I'd say that your choice of gloss is slightly more accurate.

[BYUFanatic]

@kimberlyjennery I've looked at a few videos on YouTube as well and was not impressed at all. They're either MCE or PSE (or just plain bad). I haven't seen one that was accurately done in ASL, but I only looked for a while. So, I figured I'd put my own version of the Pledge on YouTube. My goal, when making the translation, was to be as conceptually accurate as possible (as you saw with my sign choice for "republic"). Some like it, some don't. *smile*

[kimberlyjennery]

@BYUFanatic well, I think it was a great translation :) I'm taking a polisci class right now, and we recently had to memorize the 1st Amendment. I was thinking to myself how I'd translate it. If you ever think you might want to tackle those 40+ words, I'd love to see your interpretation!

[antoniusmax]

I think saying "I promise to support the government" might be a good example of bad asl translating.

[BYUFanatic]

@antoniusmax According to Webster's dictionary - "Republic - a GOVERNMENT in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law." Do you have a better recommendation?

[slothyslothsloth]

Can I do it with mirrored?

[BYUFanatic]

@slothyslothsloth I am left-handed, thus my left hand is my "dominant" hand in signing. If you're right-handed, simply use your right hand as your "dominant" hand and switch the signs accordingly. So yes, generally that means you can mirror me. *smile*

[chimera6263]

@TheSes31 Read it more carefully-- manually CODED English is not a language... It is a correct and accurate CODE for ENGLISH. American Sign Language is a separate and distinct language that is NOT English. Just like French is not English. A sign system is also not a language. " Using signs from ASL" is not the same as using ASL.

[BYUFanatic]

@chimera6263 Thanks for your comments! I like it when those who understand the differences between ASL and "manual coding systems" try to educate those who don't. However, TheSes31 felt that his/her partial, limited self-education was better than years of research by linguistic experts. No amount of reasoning or presenting him/her with facts would help him/her to see the light. And due to the nature of his/her posts being very abusive and childish, I've simply deleted all his/her comments.

[Gaara9Sasuke]

When you are not directly using your left hand when signing this, does it matter that you keep it in front of you, or can you drop it to your side?

[BYUFanatic]

If the non-dominant hand is not needed, you can "neutralize" it (simply move it out of the way) rather than dropping it to your side. Dropping it to the side is not really a common thing to do.

[victoriaashley11]

Hi there, at 39 seconds and 54 seconds, are you use "k" hands? Thanks for the clarification!

[BYUFanatic]

Close! It's a "P" shape and represents a group of individuals (people).

[uugloaf]

Thank you for slowing this down enough for me to learn the Pledge with more confidence. I am in the process of teaching it to my Kindergartners. :)

[BYUFanatic]

You're welcome! Glad to be of help. Be sure to spread the word about this (and my other videos). My goal is to combat all the bad videos out there that use sign language incorrectly. Tell your kindergartners "hi" for me.