How to spell MELBOURNE in sign language
Melbourne fingerspelled in ASL is 9 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.
M
E
L
B
O
U
R
NELetter by letter
- M A fist with the thumb tucked under three fingers (index, middle, ring), peeking out between the ring and pinky fingers.
- 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.
- B Four fingers straight up and together, thumb folded flat across the palm.
- O All fingertips curved forward to touch the tip of the thumb, forming a closed O circle.
- U Index and middle fingers extended straight up and held tightly together; thumb holds ring and pinky down.
- R Index and middle fingers extended upward and crossed (middle finger over index); 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.
- E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
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.