America the beautiful - Katharine Lee Bates & Samuel Ward

Translated into ASL by David Bar-Tzur

Created 22 June 2004, links updated monthly with the help of LinkAlarm.

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

1. CRAZY-FOR1 BEAUTIFUL SKY OPEN (2h)FAR-AWAY'both directions'2.

GRAIN3 YELLOW WAVE-IN-WIND4.

MOUNTAIN PURPLE MIGHTY5 RIPPLING-SURFACE6.

THEREABOUTS FRUIT FOREST SCADS-OF7.

AMERICA! AMERICA!

GOD SEND HIS GRACE8 FOR (2h)YOU

AND CROWN9 GOOD~THING WITH BROTHER~SISTER COOPERATE

(<) FROM SEA B-CL'sweep > rt'10 (>) SEA SHINY@rt SHINY@lf11.

2. HERE BEAUTIFUL WELCOME IMMIGRANT12.

THEIR STRONG EMOTION, ENCOURAGE.

PEOPLE DIFFERENT"each" WANT FREE,

COME OPPORTUNITY, TAKE-ADVANTAGE"each".

AMERICA! AMERICA!

GOD CORRECT EACH MISTAKE INSIDE-SELF13.

HELP-us OUR SOUL, STAY CONTROL.

LIBERTY THROUGH LAW.

3. BRAVE PEOPLE PROVE OUR COUNTRY BEAUTIFUL.

WE GO-FOR-GOAL OPPRESSION-OFF14.

THEY-lf LOVE HERE COUNTRY MORE-THAN SELF.

LOVE KINDNESS MORE-THAN LIFE.

AMERICA! AMERICA! GOD MAKE US LIKE GOLD PURE15.

REALLY-WANT NOBLE16 LIFE SPREAD.

WE HOPE GOOD CONQUER BAD.

4. BEAUTIFUL DREAM SUPPORT OUR LAND.

FORESEE17 EACH-OTHER GROW.

EACH CITY WE LIVE MORE-AND-MORE SHINY.

OUR TEARS GOD WIPE-AWAY18.

AMERICA! AMERICA!

GOD SEND HIS GRACE SPRINKLE-DOWN.

AND CROWN GOOD~THING WITH BROTHER~SISTER COOPERATE

(<) FROM SEA B-CL'sweep > rt' (>) SEA SHINY@rt SHINY@lf.

5. OUR SKY BEAUTIFUL, PEACE CALM.

GRAIN YELLOW (2h)5-CL'wave in wind'.

MOUNTAIN PURPLE STRONG (1h)5-CL'rippling surface'.

THEREABOUTS LAND SMOOTH FLAT.

AMERICA! AMERICA!

GOD SEND HIS GRACE (2h)5wg-CL'falling upon thee'.

REALLY-WANT OUR SOUL BECOME BEAUTIFUL

LIKE EARTH, HEAVEN, SEA.

6. HERE BEAUTIFUL WELCOME IMMIGRANT.

THEIR STRONG EMOTION, ENCOURAGE.

PEOPLE DIFFERENT"each" COME OPPORTUNITY, TAKE-ADVANTAGE"each".

AMERICA! AMERICA!

GOD SEND HIS GRACE SPRINKLE-DOWN.

OUR alt.THOUGHT19 WILD20 CALM-DOWN21 REAL WORLD.

PROVIDE WAY WORSHIP YOU.

7. STORY BEAUTIFUL, SHOW"all" OUR GLORY22

STRUGGLE LEAD-TO LIBERATION23.

FROM-TIME-TO-TIME24

MUST HELP WORLD FREE

MEAN LIFE, SOME SOLDIER SACRIFICE25.

AMERICA! AMERICA!

GOD SEND HIS GRACE FOR (2h)YOU.

WE LOOK-FORWARD DAY PEOPLE SELFISH GONE.

(2h)#ALL26 FREE FLAG flag-WAVE27.

8. WE PROUD OUR COUNTRY SOMETIMES DREAM

ALLOW US FUTURE VISUALIZE28.

WE SEE OUR CITY WHITE, SHINY.

PEOPLE CRY NO MORE.

AMERICA! AMERICA!

GOD SEND HIS GRACE SPRINKLE-DOWN.

PEOPLE NOBLE CELEBRATE

YEARS-AND-YEARS29 HAVE PEACE.


  1. Notes: CRAZY-FOR - [5:], PO > singer, FO up, - shaken slightly from side to side.
  2. (2h)FAR-AWAY'both directions' - (2h)[1] move away from body in wavy lines with 'lalala' (tongue shuttling from side to side).
  3. GRAIN - [X] scrapes against forearm several times as if harvesting grain.
  4. WAVE-IN-WIND - both hands are held upright (similar to TREE) and sway back and forth in the wind.
  5. MIGHTY - (2h)[S], POs > back of signer, FOs up, are held at NDS and fists descend, then repeat at DS.
  6. RIPPLING-SURFACE - [5], PO down, FO away, moves upwards in a curvy path to show the cragginess of the mountains.
  7. SCADS-OF - (2h)[5:], POs down, FOs away, move forward to show many beings.
  8. GRACE - [O^] or [S], held high and PO > Heaven, supinates and opens to [5] while being brought towards head. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Grace.
  9. CROWN - (2h)[L:] (like BIG) removes crown from head and places it in neutral space with a large single movement.
  10. B-CL'sweep > rt' - [B], PO > NDS, FO away, sweeps towards right.
  11. SHINY - (2h)[open 8], POs down, FOs away, twist rapidly at wrists while rising. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Shine.
  12. IMMIGRANT - [4], PO towards, draws a wavy line across the face, like the cancellation marks on a green card.
  13. INSIDE-SELF - The FT of [C] are held against the chest and stuff the FT of [O^] into the [C] twice.
  14. OPPRESSION-OFF - DH [B], PO down, FO away, push down twice on [S], PO > DS, FO away, then the DH is brought upwards suddenly and the signer mouths "off".
  15. PURE - Like NICE but the DH moves backwards slightly on the palm, pauses, then moves forward rapidly to show intensity.
  16. NOBLE - [N], PO > NDS, FO up, circles and lands on NDS chest.
  17. FORESEE - NDH [B], PO down, FO > DS is held higher at chin level, DH [V], PO away, FO up, dips under NDH and rises up. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Prophecy.
  18. WIPE-AWAY - (2h)[B], POs > signer, FOs up, wipes away tears on cheek and then wipes away tears of imaginary spatialized person.
  19. alt.THOUGHT - (2h)[1] alt.tap at temples.
  20. WILD - (2h)[4], POs down, FOs ><, alt. move in vertical circles emanating from the temples.
  21. CALM-DOWN - (2h)[5], POs down, FOs away, making patting motions as they slowly descend.
  22. GLORY - (2h)[5], POs><, FOs away from signer, DH which is on top wiggles fingers while ascending. For an animated gif of this sign, see Animated dictionary of religious signs - Deaf Missions: Glory.
  23. LIBERATION - Starts like PRESSURE, DH [B], PO down, FO away, push down slightly on [S], PO > DS, FO away, then the DH is brought upwards suddenly and the signer mouths "off".
  24. FROM-TIME-TO-TIME - [B^], PO > NDS, FO away, moves away in upward arcs.
  25. SACRIFICE - (2h)[B], POs up, FOs away, lift up and offer.
  26. (2h)#ALL - (2h)[A], POs ><, FOs up, are held at shoulder height and move away while opening to (2h)[L].
  27. flag-WAVE - Mime holding a pole and waving it in the air.
  28. VISUALIZE - (2h)[S] are held at forehead with DH closer to head, and hands open to (2h)[5] while separating while FT wg. For a QuickTime file of this sign, see ASL Pro: Vision - 1.
  29. YEARS-AND-YEARS - (2h)[S] are held as if ready to articulate YEAR but the DH moves in a circle twice above the NDH (not revolving around the NDH) and lands on top of it.

Lyrics:

1. O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

2. O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

3. O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife.
Who more than self the country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

4. O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

5. O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

6. O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America ! America !
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

7. O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life !
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

8. O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

treble clef as a symbol for musicTo hear the music (without words), go to America the beautiful - Song lyrics.

To see another translation of this hymn performed, go to America the beautiful.signing hands

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