How to spell JOHN in sign language
John 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.
J
O
H
NLetter 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.
- H Index and middle fingers extended together, pointing sideways; thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
- N A fist with the thumb tucked under two fingers (index and middle), peeking out between the middle and ring fingers.
Motion letter. J cannot be held still: it is drawn in the air rather than posed. Everything else in JOHN 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.