Fingerspelling
Fingerspelling is making an alphabet with your hands. Many deaf people learn fingerspelling. They use it when they want to sign a word but there is no sign in the sign language, or when they don't understand what the sign means. Other people also use fingerspelling to talk in secret, to help remember something, or to talk without making sound (for example in a church).
Fingerspelling is a part of some sign languages. Writing systems are not the same everywhere, and fingerspelling is also different. Different countries have different ways of fingerspelling. Some alphabets use one hand, some use two hands.
Fingerspelling Media
American manual alphabet, as used in American Sign Language
Relationships between the manual alphabets of sign languages, expressed as a phylogenetic network
Lengua de Signos (Juan Pablo Bonet, 1620) A
_A.jpg)
References
Other websites
- ASL Fingerspelling Resource Site Free online fingerspelling lessons, quizzes, and activities.
- Fingerspell Flashcards Practice ASL, German and Swiss German alphabets online.
- British Sign Language Fingerspelling Alphabet Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine Information and pictures about the British 2-handed fingerspelling alphabet.
