Fingerspelling
Spelling words letter by letter with handshapes
Overview
Fingerspelling represents the letters of a written alphabet with hand configurations and is used within sign languages for names, places, technical terms, and words without an established sign. Different sign languages use different manual alphabets: American Sign Language uses a one handed alphabet, while British Sign Language, Auslan, and New Zealand Sign Language share a two handed alphabet. Fluent signers fingerspell rapidly and read words as whole movement patterns rather than individual letters. Commonly fingerspelled words can become lexicalized into signs over time.
Related Topics
Sign Language
Sign languages are natural languages that use visual and manual modality, with handshapes, movement, location, facial expression, ...
Lip Reading
Lip reading, more broadly called speechreading, is understanding speech by watching the movements of the lips, face, and tongue to...
Cued Speech
Eight handshapes in four positions near the mouth, cues, make every speech sound visibly distinct, solving the lip reading ambigui...
Video Relay Service
VRS lets Deaf signers call anyone: they sign to an interpreter on video, the interpreter voices to the hearing party, relaying rep...