How to spell RUSSIA in sign language
Russia fingerspelled in ASL is 6 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.
R
U
SS
I
ALetter by letter
- R Index and middle fingers extended upward and crossed (middle finger over index); thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
- U Index and middle fingers extended straight up and held tightly together; thumb holds ring and pinky down.
- S A closed fist with the thumb wrapped across the front of all curled fingers.
- S A closed fist with the thumb wrapped across the front of all curled fingers.
- 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.
Double letters. RUSSIA has the same letter twice in a row. Do not re-form it: hold the handshape and slide the hand slightly to the side, or give it a small bounce, so the reader sees two.
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.