SILENT - NIGHT(ASL - American Sign Language)
VERSION: ASL Gloss
 

Silent night, holy night,
All calm, all bright
Around virgin mother, baby(1).
Holy baby soft, sweet,
Sleep HEAVEN same(2) peace,
Sleep HEAVEN same peace.

Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds afraid.  Why? Look-UP
HEAVEN GLORY SPREAD-down,
HEAVEN ANGELS sing hallelujah,
Christ Savior born!
Christ Savior born!

Silent night, holy night,
God Son, Pure light.
Shine(3) your holy face,
Now start save grace,
Jesus4, Lord, your birth,
Jesus, Lord, your birth,

Silent night, holy night,
Wonderful STAR, LIGHT(5)
ANGEL we join-THEM sing,
Hallelujah!  There(4) our King,
Christ, Savior born!
Christ, Savior born!


Since ASL (American Sign Language) is not a written language, it is necessary to use special notes to make the written version more closely resemble the signed form.  This version is a "gloss," which means the words commonly used to represent the sign to be used.  Words in ALL CAPS are signed upward and to the right, as if toward heaven.  Hyphenated words, like "SPREAD-down", are one sign.  In this example, the sign "spread" starts from heaven and is moved downward.  In the sign, "join-THEM", one signs "join" starting at one's self and moving toward heaven. 
 

FOOTNOTES:
1 Placed at left and down slightly.
2 Use "Y" hand from heaven to baby.
3 From baby.
4 Toward baby.
5 Downturned "8" hand opens and sheds light on the baby.

ASL version copyright 1997 Jon & Diane Barr.
Permission is granted to print and use for personal use.
Website www.SilentWordMinistries.org


Submitted by: Jon Barr

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