Fingerspelling Rules in ASL

Fingerspelling Rules

[@tustack00]

your signing is so CLEAR and thank you for the tips.

[@TomCafiero]

Thought it was ME that couldn't understand my 5th grade student's spelling...BOUNCE SPELL!!! You restored my sanity

[@wesleyjake1509]

Good advice.. I definitely get lazy sometimes and drop my hands too low. Good to keep these rules fresh in ones mind

[@user-gh5px2cw8o]

Wow this helped me so much!! I just started learning ASL online by myself and had no idea how to emphasize double letters when i finger spelled... This is a great video and you sign so clear and your points are also very easy to understand. Thank you so much :)

[@elizabethhurlbut1475]

Thank you for your lesson. I'm still working on keeping my hand relaxed and steady when fingerspelling. Your tips are very useful.

[@mikebusmc88]

Thank you...your ASL videos are excellent and good common sense. I started signing ASL a few weeks ago and your videos are spot on.

[@dontmindme.imjustafraidofe9327]

Thank you so much! This taught me a lot in less than three minutes!

[@miraswan672]

Thank you for this video! I've barely started learning so any tips is appreciated - and your reminder about how I will need to practice and learn before I can move with the same speed and grace as you is helpful!

[@XavierGuillaume]

I am taking ASL now. Thanks for the tips!

[@AriahPooh]

I really enjoyed your video. I am hard of hearing and was taught to bounce double letters when singing too! I like this way. Thank you.

[@elizabethhurlbut1475]

For fingerspelling, I was still confused on how to handle the double letters in a name, I even worried they got left out completely (like Jenifer instead of Jennifer). Thank you for clearing this up.

[@kellycronk1596]

This is incredibly helpful, makes sense too

[@captaingabagoo]

Super late to the party, but aren't there different types of rules for certain letters when signing? I forgot which letters it is but some you have to slide and others you have to (kinda) bounce when there are repeating letters or does it not matter?

[@readwithasl2105]

Great video! What is your name? Are you a sign language instructor at a university?

[@ownwill]

Hello I think I finger spell my name smoothly but should there be a pause between p and h? Because it usually can end up looking like there’s no p at all at since done quickly it’s just actually moving to form the H

[@michelleamyottesmith5543]

still love to watch this... information is as important in 2021!

[@northernyogi]

This is super helpful!

[@user-wc1mf4jm1f]

Хорошая тема и интересная спасибо

[@d.lan3y]

One question: So, in normal signing, "of's" and "and's" and "the's" usually go implied. But if you're signing the name of something, like a book, and you have to fingerspell, would you spell the and's and the's, or would you leave it implied, like you do with normal signing? I need to know.

[@ytfp]

Great question, would like to know as well. I would say in the case of a book title you would sign it?

[@d.lan3y]

@@ytfp that's the main example I was thinking of. Like the book series "Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo" silly title, but something you'd probably need to fingerspell.

[@ytfp]

oh yes I am sure for foo at least. ASL that has great videos!, but I can see from the lack of answered questions that he does not maintain a dialog answering it seems :(.

[@holdenmichaels2292]

@@ytfp The video is also 5 years old so that may have something to do with it.

[@stephaniefoster909]

What would someone do if they are left handed? does it matter and do they do things differently? people normally read left to right so do they start away from of their body on their left side and come in towards the shoulder?

[@cadenschulz6660]

If you're a lefty you start in front of your shoulder and move to your left (move out away from your body) for double letters. I am a left handed signer too, and I think of it like I'm mirroring what a right handed signer is doing. Always start in closer to your body and move out

[@krisconstante6098]

You went so fast. I hope I can keep up if I keep practicing

[@jscottcalder]

Hi Joe. Could you clarify something for me. When you have a double letter I've noticed that people don't always move the hand over to form the second letter as in L L but will slightly open and close the same hand position such as S S. Which letters are NOT moved? Also, when a person is telling a story and then switches to finger spell something what is the indicator they are about to fingerspell? How can you tell when they are about to switch from signing to fingerspelling? Are there markers in ASL that indicate fingerspelling is about to happen?

[@freyja9468]

This comes down to the signer themselves. Some are more comfortable one way than another (hence an arch vs. a slide). My friend repeats LL without sliding it (opening the L), while I slide an LL. Often times, signers may point to their wrist to steady it, or draw attention to the word being fingerspelled. It's great for new students to learn to not bounce the letters, and it's great for watching an experienced signer, because you then know the word is fingerspelled.

[@FaithLoveHope08]

a little bounce will do or use a gliding movement for the double letters . Hope it helps.

[@vagingo]

when finger spelling a name, it looks as if you are writing your name from your left to right, does it matter that I sign with my left hand and sign from my right to left when finger spelling? imagine my signing as being mirrored/reversed, is that less or equally comprehensive for the hearing impaired?

[@marlenehernandez50]

I Rate Your Comments Me too I sign with my left hand!!!

[@karissaramsey2305]

I Rate Your Comments the correct way is with your dominant hand, its easier for me since I'm ambidextrous (equally skilled with both hands), therefore, I can finger spell with both left and write hands,but too get on topic to your question, whichever hand you spell with, its still left to right. just like with writing, a left handed person doesn't mirror write,(right to left) they still write left to write, because that's just how English is. now I don't think mirror signing would affect comprehension very much, but its just not correct.

[@freyja9468]

Deaf/Hard of Hearing*** Hearing impaired is derogatory. It doesn't matter if its on the left or right hand side, as long as the hands aren't being switched every word. The letters and signs are understood either way with no change in comprehension. You always work away from the body. Left hand goes from the right to the left, and vice versa for the right.

[@FaithLoveHope08]

I'm a left handed and just like a mirror person when copying others. all you do is to move from right to left and stay within by the shoulder area. Hope it helps.

[@JeannieVanderburg]

Glad I saw this.

[@cassiescott6499]

why do some people put the forearm of their non dominant parallel to the ground? is this necessary?

[@mimamagyar]

not necessary, but sometimes used for support if you're doing a lot of FS :D

[@jollywinchrafer6564]

Thank you 🥰🔥 I want to learn. More🥺

[@luisaxbet]

thank youuu! Also, how do you do punctuation marls like "? ! . , "

[@leviwood1791]

You use your eyebrows and facial expressions for the punctuations.

[@timhollinger9225]

What about sliding for double letters? Ok or not ok?

[@ytfp]

I would like to know as well. I do move to the side but I just slide, I don't double flick or double sign I just drag it to the side and maintain the letter. Is this ok?

[@laqwitaperkins7949]

@@ytfp I was taught to slide double letters.

[@ytfp]

@@laqwitaperkins7949 Yea I guess technically its a slight bob up and down for consonants and slide for vowels but I have seen all manner including a double sign of the same letter but only slightly letting up on the fingers before reforming. I need more experience around deaf signers.

[@krystalreynolds9462]

@ytfp Chris @ LaQwita Perkins I was taught if it touches it taps, I think that's the slight reformation you see. If not you slide. I tap e,n,o,p (sometimes, depending on my next letter, I was taught it didn't matter with p), and t. Otherwise I slide everything. I want the answer to that question as well.

[@rebekahgriffith4292]

I was taught either way. Sliding or slight bouncing for double letters.

[@triciey1977able]

Woah cool

[@ang.s.846]

Hi Joe. What about fingerspelling first name and last name? Some foreign deaf people fingerspell first name, then sign "slash," and fingerspell last name.

[@FaithLoveHope08]

yes that is correct for other countries... Remember ASL is not an universal language and thanks!

[@johnhancock8463]

Thank you

[@johnhancock8463]

thank you

[@suzannemistretta9275]

I'm learning

[@beckigreen]

Thanks for this video. Im worried because when I finger spell it is not quick,since I am just learning.

[@ASLTHAT]

Thanks for your comment. Yeah, I see where you are coming from, fingerspelling both expressively and receptively are two of the most difficult skills for anyone who haven't communicated in that modality (visually and kinetically) with their eyes and hands. It takes time to master reception of fingerspelling. Don't worry too much about the speed, just make sure that you are spelling accurately and clearly. :)

[@cazz1037]

CHS ASL

[@mouna8720]

I LOVE YOU.

[@OhNo767432ER]

don't slide. stay in a spot and fingerspell the word.

[@jaafarmhammad2719]

im sorry i was watching a vudeo with 2x speed then i clicked on this and was like woahhh calm down 😹💀

[@newhorizonsforfifty2833]

He's a cutie.

[@tommydudd]

I don't like it....

[@mimirstep9363]

Thank you