Songs in American Sign Language

[marykays1]

RandomSqueaks, this sign means that music is playing.

[RandomSqueaks]

what does the sign when she swipes her hand back and forth across her arm mean?

[jajajaable]

Man people need to stop saying such rude stuff!!!!!!! Like if everyone speaks ASL the same! Or anything for that matter i speck Spanish and English and I'm always like Oh no you said that wrong!!!! People aren't "prefect" so get over life! Gosh! I think your amazing and I've been using the things you been showing in class to freak my teacher but they love it! They want me to give a class on sign language but I'm not at the level haha Thanks for your help!

[rockandrolldude22]

i cant figure out the website. all i see is its just a search engine. can you help me because i love your vids and i want to watch them but i dont even now were your videos are. if its not to much trouble do you think you could explan on how to do the website.

[MrRiverbrat]

you rock...................:0.o :)

[emt964]

wow this is great! "free falling" is one my personal favorties! we play it on guitar all the time. this really brings a new perspective on it! love it!

[MysteryEcheverria]

This is GREAT!

I love your enthusiasm. I already learned a few things from your videos and I hope to learn much more.

Would you sign Stand By Me, ppppppplllllleeeeeeeaaaaaassse­eee?

[Steph1316]

Sorry but it looks like your just made it up rather than was doing actual ASL, especially the "free falling" part.

[TheOobster]

omg, this is funny.

[19600803af]

I tryed to leave my name and email at your site but their is a virus or some thing attached to it my anti virus warned me off it

[Bhav341]

I don't get the point of using a language for the deaf to create something like this, which could only be entertaining to someone who can hear? Strange. If I could not hear music, then yes, I may want to hear or read the lyrics, but I would have no interest whatsoever in watching you wiggle and dance around. So who is enjoying these types of videos? Hearing people or Deaf people?

[thatgirlmaddison]

@Bhav341 People like you maybe?

[iamthedork724]

i LOVEEEE this song the tapestry behind you fits well with this song :)

[amandalsanders1]

Your website caused an error on my web browser. Any other way to share my e-mail with you?

[FrancesFarmer86]

people, dont get confused pleeeaaase, this is not really ASL, whatever her deaf instructors told her - i dont know why they would say that, but this is really, really close to the lyrics...

true asl song signing looks different - check out allyballybabe, captainvalor or zephyreros, they are really amazing and true ASL song signers.

be careful here!

[Openmindedtalk]

The concept of free falling in ur sign doesn't match the concept!! This is why I say stop teaching!!

[uniqueflowmusic]

if thi is for the deaf community then why are you speaking in the beginning?? how are we suppoed to understand what ur saying??

[FrancesFarmer86]

@uniqueflowmusic yes!!

[CellarDoor367]

I understood, it was a nice video

[jipp929]

I don't think

deaf people would appreciarte much of this - except the bouncing part.

[hopenchrist777]

I really enjoyed watching you (as always) especially when you're having such a great time at it! Thank you again for sharing...I look forward to seeing more in the future! God Bless!

[yoyomagic]

Signing songs in ASL is difficult and even controversial. When I think of signing a song I try to imagine what the message is that the lyrics are trying to express. A great example of "interpreting" a song into ASL is shown in a video created by St0rmfx "sign language: the [new] asl "New S#*t"". Some of you may not like MM or may be creeped out by his performance, I however, think it's a work of art and a great example of how an idea (words in English) can take on a drastic change. Search for it

[demonblooduchiha]

my teacher taught me that when you sign a song in asl, when its for fun and not for interpretation to the deaf, you should sign it in english rather than the usual french based format

and that you should dance while signing lol XD

[ImPMREEE]

i agree with the others.

i will tell you that i dont sign ASL, i sign Auslan (Australian Sign Language) and i only started at the beginning of the year.

we did test on story reading and we dabbled in songs and the main thing that i learnt is that when you use english word order whilst signing... somethimes/most of the time the deaf people dont really understand, and it can be really confusing.

but other than that your signing skills are really good. ♥

[harmonyalways1960]

I've been an interpreter for nearly 20 years and even though I appreciate your efforts, you have been sadly misinformed. To sign this in true ASL you wouldn't see all the fingerspelling for one thing. You lost your deaf audience in the main concept of this song. My advice would be to watch some ASL songs.

[jonmall]

@harmonyalways1960 - How would you sign "Ventura" without fingerspelling it??

[ArcticKitsune]

I no nothing on how to do(/speak?) ASL...but it's amazing how it can easily be used to interpret a song.

[BYUFanatic]

You're correct - a song that is translated fully into ASL is a thing of beauty indeed. Unfortunately, songs done in PSE or Signed English may be pretty to hearing people, but lose their meaning/beauty for the Deaf. Accurately translating songs into ASL is a real talent. Maybe someday TWYH will develop that talent.

[ASLSongJukebox]

the phrase "free falling" in sign makes no sense in asl. The concept is missing, thus the point is missing. Unless you're just doing this strictly for hearing people, which I hope is not the case.

ASL is never translated directly into English. If so, it's no longer ASL. And then, even more so, makes no sense to the majority of Deaf ASL users.

[TWYHblog]

I appreciate the feedback on this. However, I was taught by multiple professors and people in the deaf community that signing songs in ASL doesn't necessarily follow ASL grammar and syntax and that it is, in fact, appropriate to do more direct translations into English. Also, I would never JUST sign a song for hearing people only. The original way I signed "free falling" for this song was actually corrected to THIS version by my deaf ASL instructor.

[ASLSongJukebox]

A student can only learn what their teachers teach. I disagree with them, having grown up in the Deaf community. Are your professors Deaf or hearing? It's still not ASL, it's signed english. This isn't a knock on your signing at all. You did a great job.

As far as syntax, my wife, who studied linguistics at Gallaudet, would disagree with your professors, as would her professors. Just food for thought. ASL teachers at university levels aren't always the final go to in regards to ASL.

[BYUFanatic]

I have to agree with Jukebox - Your professor(s) are incorrect. The Deaf community as a whole appreciates material that is done in THEIR language rather than "dumbed down" into a quasi-language called PSE (ask your professors about PSE). As a Deaf ASL teacher that has interpreted MANY songs, I always strive to sign the MEANING of a song/poem/story into ASL rather than PSE.

[ASLFuel]

@TWYHblog rotflmao... NO! you are DEAD-WRONG!!! er, I mean DEAF-WRONG!!! This is not ASL at all... This is LSD! (Looney Signed Dysfunctional)

[Bhav341]

@TWYHblog I think you are wrong with this, from my limited experience with watching signed songs, only the hearing would appreciate what you are doing here. (well, maybe not, I am hearing -but I only found it amusing to watch) Over and over I see Deaf and those hearing people skilled in ASL commenting on songs that have been basically just translated into English. It isn't hard to do, and they do not seem to be appreciated or marveled at nearly close to as much as songs translated into ASL.

[MzQuant]

Great song Kristen, hope you do well with that final class....but don't stop the classes (hehe) you are now a teacher for youtube (hehe)

[RawAndFit]

Great stuff, Kristen!

[hutt5]

Really enjoyed it! Love the song! I'm avoiding signing songs right now that I have to fingerspell words because my fingerspelling is so slow. LOL But I'm practising to become faster at it. :O)

Great video!

[jtsolomedia]

Great video!! A fun and expressive way to see ASL!