How to spell PATEL in sign language

Patel 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.

Letter by letter

P Same handshape as K, but angled downward with the index and middle fingers pointing toward the ground.
A A closed fist with the thumb resting upright against the side of the index finger.
T A fist with the thumb tucked under the index finger, peeking out between the index and middle 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.

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

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