ASL Fingerspelling Alphabet Lesson 1

[amberwiseman87]

This helps, I discovered recently that while I can spell fairly well, my ability to READ when someone fingerspells is not nearly as good unless I do it right back to them. It also helps to know how/where to fingerspell. Thanks for sharing!

[deafornot1]

I just start to learn ASL recently, am hard of hearing. I can sign some simple words now. I joined a great deaf daing site, ----Deafornot dot c om----, and met some good deaf/HOH friends over there. They help me to learn ASL.

[Gradow8]

lol ur funny man

[highschoolmusical952]

wow suprizingly i totally under stood that

[servandofe]

You can at least talk

[Tempress81]

I don't think he can

[camillaheartsyou]

he's deaf, servandofe

[micnpen]

thank you so much! this is the best tutorial i ve seen so far!

[mphan123]

great job. Thanks.

[ButtonJoe]

thanks a lot for doing this, I had learned the alphabet over the summer but had all but forgotten it.

[Ray77063]

@ButtonJoe Maybe try fingerspelling a paragraph as you read it to yourself. Keeps it fresh in your memory.

[THRILLAKILLA187]

you did an awesome job on showing the alphabets but u should have showed G,Q,K,P to the side so they can see how to do it and show these go together in slight movement in ur hand!?! how G to the side and the just point it down and it becomes Q and then how K faces up and then when moved down becomes P!

[Arron1313]

THANK YOU.

most of my friend finger spell with very quick jerking motion....

I found this alittle funny... with you moving back...that was funny...

good job on explaining the correct way to finger spell... :)

[acoussticbonfire]

you forgot to ask if we understood. haha but it helpedme prepare for my ASL test!

[horo30]

Thank you sir you really did it not to slow and not to fast then you even showed me how to do it fast thanks! ill practice and do my best!

[highschoolmusical952]

you said it all

[caretolookrofl]

hey are you actually deaf?

i take a class in high school and i understand all ur saying but r u actually deaf?

[rebeccanms18]

great job...problem with finger spelling is that i have to go slow even for those who can read it very well, i have small hands and sometimes they can read what im spelling lol

[fcskali]

Great First Lesson! You are awesome! I am learning sign language so I can teach baby signs, and I think you are a wonderful teacher.

[Bridgetkt]

You did a great job and you seem like a super nice guy. Thanks for the help, my son is dating a girl who is deaf and I wanted to make sure I still had my letter right before she comes over Sunday.

[Hektorina]

I just love this video. It's really well done, and the man seems so nice :) thanks!

[LifeDuzntGivMeLemons]

thankyou

i liked how it was easy to understand for a person who does not know a lot of ASL

=]

[ThePedoBrothers]

What's the most commonly used sign language worldwide?

[kirbysmum]

American Sign Language - ASL. As English has become the dominant spoken language because of the USA likewise has its sign language. I live in the UK and use BSL but many people think that BSL and ASL are the same!!

[UtubeWatcherx]

Hey, great lesson.

(Im deaf and knows sing language lol). I will use dis video to show my friends also on my website. Im asking you for permission, is that okay with you if I put this on my website?

(it not out not yet though)

[Newsio]

I can sign language but polish... Many words are the same its exercise for moving fingers to be more fit :)

[UnluckyBlud]

what is going on?

[mr22005]

You know polish sign language! That is so cool. Jestem polką ale mieszkam w Kanadzie.

[ImMrsSparrow]

i think sign language is so fun they teach it at my school, and i know alot! :)

[MaguiCF]

Great vid...

Thanks for the lesson!!! =)

[chakkeramon]

Im asking because i dont understand, why isnt Sign language universal like...Braille?

[deadlynightshade19]

because there are different languages in the world and some signs can be mistaken for other things... That's what happens in Guatemalan sign.

[chakkeramon]

Oh ok, thanx :)

[Ray77063]

@chakkeramon Braille is not universal. Neither is it a language. Braille is a writing system. Some handshapes and gestures may be offensive in one country and not offensive in another. A deaf friend and I were talking and some hearing guy came up and asked about the letter T. Marcelo showed him the letter T and the hearie immediately turned it into a vulgar gesture used in Mexico.

[ThisBalladSucks]

haha! Thanks man, you rock!

[kairi88girl]

How do I get used to understanding what someone is saying in sign lanugage when they go so fast? will it just take time to get used to the high speed?

[beautefulFreak]

like it and wantet to learn it...find it really interisting to talk with only your hands...

<3

[Hookinfinger3]

hahaha u remind me of my asl teacher. she teaches sign lang and doesnt talk at all, and her record without breaking her silence is 3 months.

[myrickgirl]

I almost fell off my chair when I saw your video. Last week I walked with you through Cal and this week you're on YouTube. Full of surprises.

[Juan21831]

lol relly u actualluy saw him rofl

[flashgirl200]

thankyou for the tutorial

[wingeddemon5807]

Thank you :)

[RandomPerson150]

Dude... this is really Awesome! It's better than learning out of books!

[ajpastor87]

thanks for the educational video! i hope you'll make more for simple sentences in sign language.

[bmxdowntime3]

thank you so much your amazing

[trebledot]

good tutorial

[vlhunt6860]

Thank you for your video, It has helped me

[firegirlemtcop]

Thank you. I am trying to learn ASL so I can help citizens who might not otherwise be able to communicate easily with the police. It was very nice to see the proper posture and positioning for signing. Thank you.

[btrosebud77]

wow! thank you! i work at a restaurant, and there is this really nice couple that comes in who are both deaf, and i really wanted to learn how to say something to them!

[Huxleyhobbes]

Thank you very much! Your videos are very helpful and informative.

[marigmz617]

That is great teaching! It was great knowing the proper way to posture, behave, and the distance between you and your communicating hand. Thanks alot!

MariGmz

[rsvptronic]

Well, that is his way. Not my way.

[pigsrock775]

i know the sign language alphabet it is really fun to do it especially the very end of it

[wombatstew1]

Wow! I looked at this because I couldn't remember F, K and R. I am impressed at how intuitive signing is. Expression is tremendously important, isn't it? Thank you very, very much for making this simple, elegant lesson. I have taken your advice to heart.

[yarow122]

I take it this is a lesson for those who already know ASL, yes?

[weeeirishgal]

not really...he's doing the alphabet! im trying to learn and at the beginning i was like "what the hell" but look at it again and you might get it a bit better. He's showing you where to position your hand etc too!

[yarow122]

Oh, but I still don't understand it. Not liek I know any sound language anyway. I plan on making it either my second or third language.

[candiboot]

he's telling you to make sure that when you are signing to use the proper sign space. dont jab the letters at the person you are signing to. and make sure they can see what you are signing. then he asks if you are ready and from there he signs the ABCs. at the end he says make sure to practice signing your ABCs the right way.

im taking sign II next year in highschool, i took sign I this past year. its a fun language to learn.

[candiboot]

not really, but it can be yes. some people that already kindof familiar with the basics of ASL make mistakes in how they sign to others. this video shows you how to avoid doing that and it provides the ABCs signed properly so as to help someone perfect their signing skills. at the end he says be sure to practice your ABCs. one that doesnt know sign could just look at the ABC aspect of it. and really, even if you dont know sign, its not that hard to figure out what he is trying to say.

[xXVoiceOfThePeopleXx]

Thank you for making this video, it really clarified some things for me.

[Horatiospin]

You're welcome

[luvasami]

Thank you for uploading！

[spershall]

This is great! I'm trying to learn the basics of ASL online before I enroll in a class. I understood most of what you were saying even though I don't speak the language (yet.) You communicate very clearly. Thank you!

[marcluc1988]

The sign language of ASL is amazingly different BSL (British sign language).

[TexasBird]

I teach ASL. In my intro to fingerspelling I show behaviors to avoid making a habit of. The 1st one this man shows too. He is very clear.

[Somethinzfishy]

Dude ! Nice fingerspelling ! I'm wondering though..do you think this guy is filming from his bedroom ?? Too funny...Should be on a stage or somethin'!

[Beauvoirs]

I don't know. Seems sort of fishy to me.

[Somethinzfishy]

I think Somethinzfishy knows who this Beauvoirs person is ! Hummm You sound really interesting !

[Beauvoirs]

Really?

[Beauvoirs]

Hi Horatio, you mentioned you went to CSUN for a Deaf lecture. I wonder who the lecturer was? That's cool. I worked there. Can you tell me what other advise they gave? Thanks.

[kimnutzrocks]

Yeah I get it now,we learned more words lol.Thank you!

[kimnutzrocks]

I don't understand what he's saying at "01:53" =/ but thanks for the vid! I'm taking my first asl class at csun. This was helpful.

[Horatiospin]

I am saying "Thumbs-up!!! Now-you-practice-ABC's

[EvelynMichel1]

@kimnutzrocks im new at this but i think he says " today you learned abc's."

[ZivasSuzie]

Hi, as a hearing person with a deaf g/f this is fantastic. Maybe now she can at least understand a little of what I mean in sign... the 'don't move your hands' tip really helped. Thank you so much.

[Horatiospin]

Me? I learned my sign language from deaf people, not from videos.

[pognyc]

BUT GOOD LUCK AND KEEP LEARNING, just remember, we are more limited than we know, that is how we GROW!

PEACE> a GOOD EXAMPLE OF PURE ASL is a vlog called "AN IDIOT BOY AND A BICYCLE". i THINK ITS ON YOUTUBE. you will see LITTLE if ANY spelling in this story and when you can fully understand and appreciate the story, you can pat yourself on the back and say you are bi-lingual.

[Horatiospin]

I went to a deaf lecture at CSUN (Cal State Northridge recently. Very interesting. The deaf speaker said that deaf people use fingerspelling MORE than hearing people who know sign language.

[pognyc]

And I'm not trying to be rude, but TEACHING SIGN LANGUAGE should BEST be LEFT To DEAF PERSONS who are native users, and people who are CERTIFIED by the ASLTA To TEACH ASL and not by people who have just a bit of knowledge. this is why a little knowledge is dangerous and the reason that Deaf people are EDUCATED properly, by teaching ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE through the use of ASL.

[pognyc]

i mean NOT EDUCATED PROPERLY.

MOST TEACHERS OF THE DEAF TO THIS DAY CONTIUNE TO BE SYMPATHETIC YOUNG WOMEN WHO PLAN ON MARRYING AND HAVING CHILDREN AND DO NOT BECOME IMMERSED IN DEAF CULTURE< AND ARE THEREFORE ACTUALLY NOT QUALIFED TO TEACH ANY MORE THAN THEY WOULD BE QUALIFIED TO TEACH ANY OTHER FOREIGN STUDENT IN THAT STUDENTS LANGUAGE.

SAD BUT TRUE.

[LittleBoiFen]

Since when is education dangerous? It's sign language. The more people that know it, the better. Doesn't matter who teaches them or how good at it they are. Mistakes can always be corrected...Ignorance is a little harder to correct.

[Beauvoirs]

Can you post a video using ASL sentences too?

[Beauvoirs]

Hello. Enjoyed it. I learned a new technique on your video that I can use when speaking to the Deaf. Thanks. It would be cool to see a video with your new sharp glasses. :)

[Horatiospin]

Hey who is this?

[SexyNekoBoy]

And she can talks and sign language.

[SexyNekoBoy]

My lil sis know how to sign language and she know what he mean.

[Forlaniz3]

This was fun, plus, you're so handsome! ;)

[roddytoddy]

Thank You

[akreloscar]

Dude I so want to learn but can't CUZ HE DOES NOT SPEAK

[ZenithXLT]

This was so cute! I like when you motioned for your hand to be by for face and not across your body, or up in the air, lol ^_^

[DBR21]

He's like 'focus!' I'm trying. My fingers don't move as fast. lol

[Forlaniz3]

wow, that makes sense!

[iluppsm]

pretty cool!!!!!!!! thankz!!!!!!

[aliceofkansas]

this is going to help my finger spelling practice SO much. i usually go along, 7 or 8 letters in a string, then i just lose it and forget everything. but if i can see you do it, i'ts far easier. thank you!

[jessel4life]

that was awesome!!

[PanHerne]

very helpful! I understood everything including intent and recommendations to practice! Just started and feeling good!

[Swice]

Great video, keep up the good work. I just started learning and already have a deep appreciation for it.

[Horatiospin]

Thank you

[Requiem2005]

Glitzy, if you actually paid any attention to your lessons, you would realize that he was saying that one should NOT bounce their hands when fingerspelling. He was showing us the correct way to fingerspell after giving us examples of the ways one shouldn't do it. ASL is a visual language; pay attention!

[glitzylizzy]

u are doin it hecka wrong, im taking lessons from a professional, especially when ur signing, NEVER BOUNCE UR DANG HANDS!! none can tell wat ur saying if u do that

[bertdasquirt]

Deaf people always lip synch what they are saying, for better clarity. Also when you make an E your hand should be closed, as to not be confused with a C or anything else for that matter. At the end he said pratice your ABC's

[AnimeLady501]

Haha! What he was saying was don't have your hand all over the place. keep it next to your head so the person reading can see both your hand and read your lips for the letter you are trying to sign out. ( in case you mess it up the person will still basically understand)

[sopbilen]

I can still just spell my name, but atleast that's something.

[chrisjmc2006]

It took me a while to understand what he was saying at the start, ( I dont know any sign ) but correct me if im wrong, he is trying to say, dont jab at the person your talking to be relaxed! Keep making these videos!

[Horatiospin]

Thank you

[amadfook3r]

boooooooooring

[mexicanjew22]

ahh damn, I finally got it. hahaha It took me long enough, but yeah, you are great.

[mexicanjew22]

well I tried.

I learned the alphabet in elementary school, but they talked us though it, and i was easier for me that way. I guess I am just different.

[LURCHINATOR1]

I learned almost all of the alphabet on a train journey home from london, I live in wales and my cousin from Ohio was visiting...she taught me, she can hear and speak, but she has a deaf person in her class so she speaks to her via sign language...the only letters i have trouble remembering are X and Q!

[Horatiospin]

Plus I took classes from a deaf instructor

[lisababy85]

that is awesome. I would like to do that sometime, I have had hearing instructors my entire life. I have had Deaf teachers substitute and its nice. I think if someone is Deaf you can learn a LOT

[mexicanjew22]

why the hell are you not talking?

[Horatiospin]

The fastest and best way to learn sign language, including the alphabet, is not to talk or listen while you learn. Try it.

[lisababy85]

You're right! In my ASL class we have voice off, it really makes it a lot easier. Are you a Speaking, H.H. Deaf? Which? I am speaking but I think I am become H.H. because I can't hear what I used to.

[cinnful]

I'm teaching myself the basics and I'm glad that you've included the correct positioning of the hand to the face (my hand tended to fly everywhere). And thanks for teaching fingerspelling slowly - it's not so overwhelming to this newbie.

[Misscopi]

Thank you! This helps. And thanks for the laugh!

[pognyc]

Please remember that the ENGLISH ALPHABET is ENGLISH. Although ALL LANGUAGES USE WORDS< SOUNDS TAKEN FROM OTHER LANGUAGES, ASL does not have and ALPHABET. PEACE.

[Horatiospin]

ASL does not have an alphabet? Are you crazy? Maybe you can look in a dictionary under "American Sign Language"

[Horatiospin]

check this alphabet from this deaf man

"Learn ASL and Fingerspelling Painlessly"

[pognyc]

American Sign Language borrows the ENGLISH alphabet. This alphabet was created by HEARING people as a way to TEACH English to Deaf people. Obviously this did not work, since the average reading level of an American Deaf High School Graduate is no more than 4th grade.

True visual languages have NO BASIS IN SOUND.

the ALPHABET IS PURELY BASED IN SOUND.

The LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IS RAMPANT IN PRINT and in the EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM FOR THE DEAF IN THE USA.

[pognyc]

Visual language is composed of SHAPE, MOVEMENT or NON MOVEMENT, REPETITION OR NON REPETITION and relies HEAVILY ON FACIAL EXPRESSION< MOUTH SHAPE< PODY POSITION AND, visual languages make use of SPACE and VISUAL MEMORY. DEAF PEOPLE THINK DIFFERENTLY THAN HEARING PEOPLE. please SEE REASEARCH BY WILLIAM STOKOE, he is the man who proved that visual languages actually existed in the first place.

[lisababy85]

ummm think again!!! Where were you taught?  Wierd....

[lisababy85]

for the record I was not talking about you with that comment sweetie. the comment about where you were taught was in responce to what pognyc said.

[Horatiospin]

Hi, I am hearing but I had a deaf roommate so that is how I learned.

[pognyc]

I guess my replay to that was to this. a Deaf roommate does not qualify someone to learn visual languages. You must learn from a variety of DEAF PEOPLE and RE MAP YOUR MIND TO ENCODE INFORMATION VISUALLY.

[pognyc]

REMEMBER, we live in AMERICA. American EDUCATION OF THE DEAF IS BASED ON THE VALUE JUDGEMENT THAT ENGLISH IS THE PREREQUISITE FOR HAPPINESS AND SUCCESS. AMERICAN TEACHERS OF THE DEAF DO NOT HAVE KNOW ASL TO BECOME TEACHERS OF THE DEAF. I INTERPRETER FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS BECOMING TEACHERS FOR THE DEAF AND THEY CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN DEAF TEACHERS. MORE WORK FOR ME. HAHAH.

[Alexifish]

thanks so much--it really helped me see how to sign clearly without overemphasizing

[zadrak]

i didnt understand.. when does each letter start?!? I really want to learn.

[Horatiospin]

In the video I start by explaining that you shouldn't move your hand when you are fingerspelling, it is distracting. Then I explain that you should hold your hand close to your face. Then I start the alphabet. The first letter A looks like a fist with the thumb on the side. The letter B is an open palm facing out with the thumb across the palm. The letter C looks like a C. The letter D is the forefinger. And so on. Hope this helps.

[zadrak]

i get it now! aah thats well magic stuff. I'll get learning!

[lolrawrgrr]

I really liked this. I was surprised that I actually understood everything you were saying, haha. Thank you for explaining to people how to fingerspell. =]

[lalaluvzya]

hey billy from the bravos lol jp

[YourMomIsSoRad]

Oh, wow, this is wonderful! I was searching to see if anyone ever downloaded sign videos. I'm in the highest level of sign language at my school and it's nice to expose people to deaf culture! Good job, my friend!

[trance12]

Thank you so much! I am just learning ASL (from books no less) and it is so usefull to see examples of proper form. It really helps me to improve!

[rinnng]

Excellent!!! I haven't had a chance to practice ASL for a long time. Thank you for providing such useful information on how to sign well.

[bluhevenly]

This was wonderful! I appreciated how you showed the proper area to hold the hand when fingerspelling as well as not to oveerrrreemmmmphhhassssizzzeee each letter. I am hearing and have a deaf manager who I am sure has endured much of my poor ASL. This is also great practice to watch someone fingerspelling to identify the letters visually. Thank you thank you!

[fearthedreadlox]

thank you.

[ZimeeZam]

thankyou so much!!!

[kgog1]

How do you count in ASL sign language...can you please show...im a beginer and i want to learn sign language...thanks

[Horatiospin]

I put the Sign Language numbers up today. Have fun.

[cravingcreets3]

thanks. now i can show my friends

[arvizurice]

I think you should do more.

The alphabet is kinda boring.

[Horatiospin]

Ok sure I will do more this week thanks

[jongun]

This is great, do you plan to do anymore? Greetings or compliments or something? The way you explained was really clear. I would definately watch more.

[arvizurice]

of course

[Horatiospin]

Yes I just typed fast and forgot, but normally my speling is perfact and so is my grammer

[adrexdoestube]

haha nice one "perfact" and "grammer" should it be "perfEct" and "grammAr"

[Artistexstordinare]

Dude shut up so what if he accidently did that he's teaching people to sign and communicate with the deaf. So they can understand and make the deaf feel like they are real people. So back off asshole!

[arvizurice]

shouldn't it be you're welcome?

[Horatiospin]

Your welcome

[SRavenBoi]

Thank you for this video. I hate when beginner signers fingerspell all over the signing space making the people watching jerk their heads around. Thank you.