How to spell JACOB in sign language
Jacob fingerspelled in ASL is 5 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.
J
A
C
O
BLetter by letter
- J Pinky extended from a fist, tracing a J-shaped hook downward in the air.
- A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
- C Fingers and thumb curved into an open C shape, palm facing sideways.
- O All fingertips curved forward to touch the tip of the thumb, forming a closed O circle.
- B Four fingers straight up and together, thumb folded flat across the palm.
Motion letter. J cannot be held still: it is drawn in the air rather than posed. Everything else in JACOB is a static handshape.
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.