How to spell JIA in sign language
Jia fingerspelled in ASL is 3 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
I
ALetter by letter
- J Pinky extended from a fist, tracing a J-shaped hook downward in the air.
- I Pinky extended upward; index, middle, and ring fingers curled into a fist with the thumb resting across them.
- A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
Motion letter. J cannot be held still: it is drawn in the air rather than posed. Everything else in JIA 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.