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February 4, 2020 8:41 PM

Artist Christine Sun Kim interviewed about preparing to ASL interpret the National Anthem and America the Beautiful at the 2020 Super Bowl. (All links YouTube).
posted by vespabelle (4 comments total)

As someone who doesn't speak ASL I can only stand back in awe at how Christine's translations match the rhythm and energy of the moment. The interview at the start of the post really clarified her process, too. Thank you for sharing this!
posted by mdonley at 3:40 AM on February 5, 2020

I liked her essay for the NYT: I performed at the Super Bowl. You might have missed me.
posted by ChuraChura at 7:19 AM on February 5, 2020 [2 favorites]

I live in a city with a large Deaf population and am used to performances and events including an ASL interpreter, and I was surprised and delighted to see Christine Sun Kim for a few seconds during the Super Bowl. By the time I pointed her out to my daughters, the camera was off of her, and didn't show her again, which was a big bummer. Thanks for this post (and ChuraChura, thanks for that link)!
posted by SeedStitch at 8:10 AM on February 5, 2020

I loved this. Thanks for sharing!
I only know a little ASL, enough to vaguely follow along Christine's performance but not enough to fully appreciate it. You can tell that she put thought into the meaning of the lyrics and into doing a proper ASL translation, rather than a word-for-word Signed English version.

And she's signing so dramatically, to match the emoting of the singers and to sign for the whole stadium - take a look at the standard sign for HOME - she does it with both hands, goes so far out from her body. BRAVE finishes with her arms stretched above her head in a perfect dramatic ending pose.
posted by Glier's Goetta at 7:19 AM on February 10, 2020