How to spell STEPHEN in sign language
Stephen fingerspelled in ASL is 7 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.
S
T
E
P
HE
NLetter by letter
- S A closed fist with the thumb wrapped across the front of all curled fingers.
- 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.
- P Same handshape as K, but angled downward with the index and middle fingers pointing toward the ground.
- H Index and middle fingers extended together, pointing sideways; thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
- E All four fingers curled tightly down into the palm with the thumb tucked horizontally underneath the fingertips.
- N A fist with the thumb tucked under two fingers (index and middle), peeking out between the middle and ring fingers.
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.