My country 'tis of thee - Samuel F. Smith & Thesaurus Musicus

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 24 November 2007, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

EXPLANATION OF THE GLOSSING SYSTEM
(to understand how I describe the signs in this translation).

1. MY COUNTRY GIFT-TO-me "WHAT"? OFFER SWEET LIBERTY.
MY SONG FOR YOU-ctr.
MY ANCESTORS DIE THAT PLACE, PILGRIMS FEEL PROUD THAT PLACE.
OUR SONG FREE REFLECT EACH MOUNTAIN TOP.

2. ME GROW-UP COUNTRY HERE. OUR PEOPLE NOBLE, FREE.
YOUR-ctr NAME ME CHERISH.
ME LOVE YOUR-ctr STONE AND VALLEY. YOUR FOREST, HILL LIKE TEMPLE.
MY HEART INSPIRED THRILL, LIKE HEAVEN SUPREME.

3. COME-ON WIND, OUR MUSIC CARRY, EVERY TREE SHOULD REFLECT, REFLECT,
SWEET FREEDOM STORY.
(2h)#ALL NOW BECOME AWARE. EACH LIVING THING SHOULD JOIN
STONE ALSO SILENT DON'T. OUR SONG CONTINUE"over time".

4. OUR ANCESTOR GOD RULE YOU-ctr. HIMSELF-rt LIBERTY INVENT.
WE SING ABOUT HIM-rt.
REALLY-WANT OUR LAND STAY BRIGHT WITH FREEDOM HOLY LIGHT.
PROTECT US WITH YOUR-rt MIGHT, GREAT GOD, OUR KING.


Notes: GIFT-TO-me - (2h)[X], POs ><, FOs up, hands flip thumb sides > signer.

YOU - Underlined words are honorific indices ("indexes"), using the FT of the upturned palm to indicate who is being honored.

ANCESTORS - (2h)[A], FOs up, DH is held against forehead, NDH close to head but lower, both hands open to (2h)[5] while moving upwards + (2h)[5], POs ><, FOs up, move in a vertical circle while moving back over shoulder.

PILGRIMS - FT of (2h)[P] both touch sternum (midchest), then separate to sides, and then ascend to shoulders. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - Pilgrim.

REFLECT - [O^], PO away, FOs up, is brought to [B], PO away, FO up, and reflects off it while opening to [5].

NOBLE - N-ATTITUDE.

TEMPLE - T-CHURCH.

SUPREME - (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top.

COME-ON - (2h)[B^] move in circles pivoting at the wrists to beckon someone to do something.

REFLECT, REFLECT - Sign as described above, then switch dominance and sign it again.

(2h)#ALL - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs up, are held at shoulder height and move away while opening to (2h)[L].

AWARE - KNOW+.

DON'T - (2h)[B], POs down, cross at wrists, then uncross moving horizontally and emphatically. For a QuickTime movie of this sign, see ASL browser - don't.

RULE - CONTROL.

REALLY-WANT - WANT but shaken back and forth to show intensity.

HOLY - H-CLEAN. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Holy - 1.

MIGHT - (2h)[S], POs > back of signer, FOs up, are held at NDS and fists descend, then repeat at DS.

GREAT - (2h)[B], POs away, FOs up, push away from signer.

Lyrics:

1. My country, Õtis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrimsÕ pride,
From every mountainside,
Let freedom ring!

2. My native country, thee,
Land of the noble free,
Thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
Thy woods and templed hills;
My heart with rapture thrills,
Like that above.

3. Let music swell the breeze,
And ring from all the trees,
Sweet freedomÕs song;
Let mortal tongues awake;
Let all that breathe partake;
Let rocks their silence break,
The sound prolong.

4. Our fathersÕ God, to Thee,
Author of liberty,
To Thee we sing;
Long may our land be bright
With freedomÕs holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King.

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear a musical setting of these lyrics (without words), go to My Country 'Tis of Thee.

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