How to spell WHITE in sign language
White 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.
W
H
I
T
ELetter by letter
- W Index, middle, and ring fingers extended upward and spread; thumb holds the pinky finger down.
- H Index and middle fingers extended together, pointing sideways; thumb holds the ring and pinky down.
- I Pinky extended upward; index, middle, and ring fingers curled into a fist with the thumb resting across them.
- 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.
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.