Fingerspelling is the manual representation of the majority language’s alphabet and numerals using the digit(s) of the hand(s). In American Sign Language, the proper use of fingerspelling is for proper nouns, technical jargon, or borrowed terms from the majority language. When fingerspelling takes on a more rhythmic/directional quality that looks more akin to a distinct sign rather than a discrete fingerspelled word, this is called a “fingerspell-loan sign”, or more formally, lexicalized fingerspelling. Some examples of signs that have standard lexicalized equivalents are “car”, “back”, and “glue”. In sign gloss, true fingerspelling is only hyphenated; glossed loan-signs are preceded by the pound/hash symbol. E.g., “I drive a car, and I also ride a bus”, might be glossed as “(left frame space) ME DRIVE #CAR, (right frame space (brow raise) #BUS CL:3 SIT-RIDE (medial frame space connecting the two clauses) TOO“. It is thought to be the hardest skill for non-native signers to acquire at a native-level. Fortunately, there are free (or very cheap) resources that can be found very easily with Web access. The following are resources for fingerspelling and numbering in Amemrican Sign Language. Unlike English, which is a common language to the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, their respective signed languages have completely different manual alphabets, numbering systems, and signed vocabulary.
The Original Signing Naturally I Curriculum by DawnSignPress
I am so old that I remember when Signing Naturally I was a single volume light-blue and watching it as a traditional VHS videotape the semester of high-school I had to take off to have bilateral hamstring tenotomy’s. You can find a cheap copy of it and its accompanying DVD on eBay. Here are the most important parts:
- Unit 1: Language in Action – Introducing yourself- (both conversations)
- Unit 2: Grammar Practice: Question type demonstration, numbers 1-10; number phrases (write the number signed)
- Unit 3: Fingerspelling Part 1
- Unit 4: Grammar Practice, Numbers 11-20
- Unit 5: Fingerspelling Part 2
- Unit 6: Numbers 21-30
- Unit 7: Ordinal numbers, Fingerspelling part 3
- Unit 8: Numbers, multiples of 10 and 11
- Unit 9, money numbers
- Unit 10: Age numbers, Fingerspelling part 4
- Unit 11: Numbers 67-98
- Unit 12: Clock numbers
General Fingerspelling Guidance and Practise
- The alphabet and general guidelines
- Receptive practising videos from Dr. Bill Vicars’ YouTube
- Dr. Mish Kteijik’s Fingerspell.Me Website – Mish was an interpreter of mine at Northern Virginia Community College when I took American literature I in Summer 2011. She is a NIC-certified interpreter with subspecialty certificate in legal interpreting. This resource is CEU-giving from the Registry of the Interpreters of the Deaf!!
- Dr. Carol Patrie: Fingerspelled Names & Introductions: A Template Building Approach
- Cinnie McDougall: Number Signs for Everyone: Numbering in American Sign Language
Last Updated: 3. October 2025