How to spell DEAF in sign language
Deaf fingerspelled in ASL is 4 handshapes, signed one after another with the palm facing out. Hold each for a beat and keep the hand in one place; the letters carry the word, not the movement.
D
E
A
FLetter by letter
- D Index finger extended upward; middle, ring, and pinky curled to meet the thumb, forming a small circle.
- E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
- A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
- F Thumb and index fingertip touch to form a circle; middle, ring, and pinky extended upward and slightly spread.
Fingerspelling is how ASL handles names, places, brands and words without a sign of their own. Many everyday words do have a sign, so if you are learning ASL as a language, learn that sign too; this page shows how the word is spelled with the manual alphabet.