hate to admit it...

[marcyp06]

So I promised myself I would never be one of those annoying ASL students doing a horrible job of signing songs on YouTube.
Well, im not and ASL student, and im not posting anything on YouTube... but I am making a video. My best friend is sick and we havent been able to webcam for a while now so I want to send her a video to cheer her up. I am trying to sign Adele's My Same (full lyrics at bottom). Ill be doing mostly PSE as that is how we communicate for the most part, ASL signs in English word order.

With all of that being said, im having a few issues finding the right signs! My biggest problems are:
Give in
Softening (same as give in?)
Make Up (reconcile?)
Provocative
Conservative
Adventurous

Just realized how many signs im missing. I think ill print this out and take it to Deaf coffee on Friday for some input as well. Was just hoping to get something put together for her and of course I cant make it simple! lol



You said I'm stubborn and I never give in
I think you're stubborn 'cept you're always softening
You say I'm selfish, I agree with you on that
I think you're giving out in way too much in fact
I say we've only known each other a year
You say I've known you longer my dear
You like to be so close, I like to be alone
I like to sit on chairs and you prefer the floor
Walking with each other, think we'll never match at all, but we do
But we do, but we do, but we do

I thought I knew myself, somehow you know me more
I've never known this, never before
You're the first to make up whenever we argue
I don't know who I'd be if I didn't know you
You're so provocative, I'm so conservative
You're so adventurous, I'm so very cautious, combining
You think we would and we do, but we do, but we do, but we do

Favouritism ain't my thing but,
In this situation I'll be glad...

Favouritism ain't my thing but,in this situation I'll be glad to make an exception

You said I'm stubborn and I never give in
I think you're stubborn 'cept you're always softening
You say I'm selfish, I agree with you on that
I think you're giving out in way too much in fact
I say we've only known each other one year
You say I've known you longer my dear
You like to be so close, I like to be alone
I like to sit on chairs and you prefer the floor
Walking with each other, think we'll never match at all, but we do

 

[Mountain Man]

A few tips:

Focus on the function of the source language rather than the form. Try to get away from the words and look at what meaning is being conveyed. One way of doing this is to paraphrase the main points using as few of the original words as possible and not bothering with any of the details. Once you've done that then go back and try and figure out how the details support the main point. You may find that the details aren't always important or even necessary.

As for how to sign certain words or phrases, my instructor always asks, "What does it look like?" For instance, what does the phrase "You said I'm stubborn and I never give in" look like? If you were the person being talked about, what would you be saying and doing? Since the song keeps going back and forth between two people, it would be an excellent opportunity for role shifting.

For example (and I'm hoping you can make sense of this):

(shift left) STUBBORN YOU! IDEA YOUR (cradle the i handshape close to body) OTHER IDEA (make a motion like you're picking it up and throwing it away, return to cradling i handshape)
(shift right) SAME-ME-TO-YOU BUT YOU IDEA (cradle i handshape, bring other hand up with i handshape as if it's intruding, glance between them as if trying to decide, then with an air of resignation, "throw away" the one close to body and bring the other i handshape close)

Another thing that might help, my instructor will take something we've translated, cross out half the signs and say, "Now try it again without using those signs," because believe it or not, the less signs you use, the clearer you'll be.

 

[marcyp06]

Thanks for the input. I understand what you are saying. Ive never taken a formal ASL class before ive just learned by being part of the Deaf community. Still, I mostly use PSE. I can always get my point across and never really run into communication issues. My problem with this particular undertaking is that my friend is HOH and can hear the song and knows the words and enjoys it signed english. So im struggling to find signs for those 6 signs.