* * * * *
                                        
                              A sign of the times
                                        
> One challenge Gallego faces is translating metaphorical concepts from songs
> without compromising the whimsical nature of the lyrics. To navigate these
> intricacies, Gallego will often employ what she calls “indicating verbs:”
> she’ll mix two signs concurrently — one with her hands, and the other
> through her movement — to get an idea across.
> 
> For instance, in “Baby Got Back,” Sir Mix A Lot pontificates, “My
> **anaconda** don’t want none unless you got some **buns.**” When signing
> “anaconda,” Gallego combines the hand sign for “snake” with a sweeping
> motion that connotes she is referring to a penis. “I’m signing the snake,
> but visually, it looks like a big schlong,” she says, “and the audience
> gets it.”
> 
> Similarly, Gallego can’t just flash the sign for “butt” (literally, a
> simple finger point to the exterior); she has to symbolize that Sir Mix A
> Lot is referring to particularly voluptuous posteriors. Instead, she draws
> the shape — a gigantic, large-bootied silhouette — with her hands in the
> air. “You have to add action and movement to express his true lyric,” she
> says.
> 
> Gallego rarely signs the exact words a performer is saying. Instead, she’ll
> relate the concepts behind the lyrics. This is because literal
> interpretations more often than not confuse people (ie. for the phrase,
> “bear with me,” some interpreters flash the sign for the animal).
> 

“The Sign Language Interpreter of the Rappers [1]”

I would have never thought this [2] was a real thing. I find it fascinating
to watch [3] (warning—you might not want to play this while at work due to
language—but it's being signed, so you shouldn't really need the volume,
should you? As an alternative, try watching a classic Michael Jackson song
being signed [4]).

[1] http://priceonomics.com/the-
[2] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2015/05/29.1
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iDAkEpCmBs&t=24s
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3hXjXnsIMI

Email Sean Conner at sean@conman.org

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