kinect question that i feel bad asking ...

bc im sure im doing something stupid.  all the kinect commands are working fine, i can hop around to the map and through the menus and lists and categories with voice, but for some reason my weapon equips aren't coming through.  i know you have to assign the weapon by saying 'assign *weapon*' but when i do it, the game just repeats the "try again??" prompt. i am in the favorites menu, have the sword highlighted that i want hotkeyed, and it gives me that. like it just can't understand it but it understands everything else perfectly fine.  this may be unanswerable but didnt know if any one else had an idea for me to try.  

bump to benefit my ignorance.  i know this looks like im crazy and missing something, but is it really just 1) open favorites menu 2) highlight sword 3) say 'assign sword' and it will be hotkeyed to the kinect fast equip? am i missing something here? 

in case anyone gets as uselessly stumped as me, here's what helped me out http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/615803-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/62696835?page=1