The American Sign Language Phrase Book (56 page)
Read The American Sign Language Phrase Book Online
Authors: Lou Fant,Barbara Bernstein Fant,Betty Miller
video relay service.
Fingerspell "V-R-S."
Fingerspell "I-P" and RELAY.
Fingerspell TEXT.
Fingerspell "C-C-T-V."
Fingerspell VLOG.
alarm clocks, videophones, and TTYs, and to alert them to a
baby's cry.
Fingerspell "T-T-Y."
Fingerspell "T-T-Y."
PPENDIX
The Manual Alphabet
Copyright © 2008 by the Estate of Lou Fant and Barbara Bernstein Fant. Click here for terms of use
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T
HE MANUAL ALPHABET
allows us to fingerspell English words. When there is not a sign for an idea, then fingerspelling is used. This occurs most often with proper names. Mastery of fingerspelling is relatively easy if you form good habits from the very beginning.
First, relax your fingers. This may require bending and stretching the fingers so that they fall easily into the proper hand shapes. Next, relax your arm and shoulder. Tension is the greatest obstacle to clear formation of the letters, so strive to remain relaxed as you work at it. Let the arm hang down with the elbow to your side and the hand slightly in front of your body as the pictures show. Do not let your elbow start moving away from your side and rising upwards.