[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/fingerspelling.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / fingerspelling

[← F](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/F/)

# fingerspelling

«fingerspelling» in Mova's school dictionary: **spelling out words letter by letter with hand shapes, as…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (fingerspelling, uncountable); verb fingerspell (fingerspell, fingerspells, fingerspelled/fingerspelt, fingerspelling)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Fingerspelling is spelling out words letter by letter with hand shapes, as part of a sign language. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#m1)

2) It is used for names, places and words that have no sign of their own. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In lessons about deaf people, sign language and inclusion, pupils learn to fingerspell their names. British Sign Language uses two hands for fingerspelling; American Sign Language uses one hand. Phrases: «fingerspell your name», «the fingerspelling alphabet».

### examples

- We learned fingerspelling in assembly. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#x1)
- I can fingerspell my name in British Sign Language. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#x2)
- Fingerspelling is used for names that have no sign. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#x3)
- In American Sign Language, fingerspelling uses one hand. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#x4)
- British fingerspelling uses both hands. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#x5)
- She fingerspelled the word «cat» slowly so I could follow. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#x6)
- A poster of the fingerspelling alphabet hangs in our classroom. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#x7)
- Fingerspelling fast takes lots of practice. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/#x8)

### note

Often written as one word, sometimes «finger spelling». Fingerspelling is only one part of sign language; most words have their own whole signs. Sign languages differ between countries, so BSL and ASL are not the same.

### In the corpora

- [BSL fingerspelling uses two hands, ASL fingerspelling uses one; fingerspelling is for names and words without a sign.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/language/32-sign-language/8/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «fingerspelling» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspelling/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.