[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/fingerspell/)

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# fingerspell

verb (fingerspell, fingerspells, fingerspelled or fingerspelt, fingerspelling)

«fingerspell» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

To fingerspell is to spell out a word letter by letter using hand shapes in sign language, for example a name or a word that has no sign. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspell/#m1)

### In the lessons

In lessons about deafness and sign language (British Sign Language, American Sign Language, Auslan, Irish Sign Language, New Zealand Sign Language), pupils learn to fingerspell their names. BSL uses two hands for fingerspelling, ASL uses one. Phrases: «fingerspell your name», «the fingerspelling alphabet».

### Examples

- We learnt to fingerspell our names in BSL. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspell/#x1)
- She fingerspelled the name of her town. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspell/#x2)
- In ASL you fingerspell with one hand. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspell/#x3)
- Can you fingerspell «cat»? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspell/#x4)
- Names are often fingerspelt because they have no sign. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspell/#x5)
- Our class practised fingerspelling every morning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspell/#x6)

### Note

Past: fingerspelled (US) or fingerspelt (UK). Noun: fingerspelling. Sign languages are full languages, not just fingerspelling; most words have their own signs.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «fingerspell» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/F/fingerspell/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«fingerspell» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/fingerspell.html) on Mova free.