How to spell JOEL in sign language

Joel 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.

Letter by letter

J Pinky extended from a fist, tracing a J-shaped hook downward in the air.
O All fingertips curved forward to touch the tip of the thumb, forming a closed O circle.
E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
L Index finger pointing straight up and thumb extended outward to form an L; other three fingers curled into the palm.

Motion letter. J cannot be held still: it is drawn in the air rather than posed. Everything else in JOEL 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.

Sign it at your camera and check it Spell a different word

← Joe John →