Fingerspelling Dos and Don'ts

Common Fingerspelling mistakes and what to do to fix them.

[Video Description: a cover picture of 5 guys in the sketched drawing are standing, with a green text “5 guys ASL in front of drawing”.

A white text with a blue background appears, “Welcome to fingerspelling 101: The Do’s and Don’ts of Fingerspelling”.

A white text appears, “Fingerspelling mistake 1”.

Johnny (White male with short brown hair and beard with purple and blue shirt).
Johnny enters the screen and asks Mike (black shirt with white sketched drawing of 5 Guys ASL logo on shirt), “Hello! What’s your name?” Mike responds, “My name is M-I-K-E as he punches each letter. A white text above mike appears “The Puncher”.

Mike asks Johnny, “What’s your name?”. Johnny replies, “J-O-H-N-N-Y” as he bounces each letter. A white text above Johnny appears, “The Bouncer”.

Mike replies, “Nice to meet you!” And cranes his neck. Johnny says, “Nice to meet you too!” And cranes his neck.

A white text heading appears, “Fingerspelling mistake #2”.

Mike asks Johnny, “What do you like to do?” Johnny replies, “I like to D-A-N-C-E” as he turns his hands and looks at each letter. A white text above Johnny appears, “The Eye Transformer”.

Johnny asks mike, “What do you like to do?” Mike replies, “I like to do what? J-U-M-P-I-N-G as he finger spells each letter backward. A white text above mike appears “The Backwards Man”.

A white heading appears, “Fingerspelling Mistake #3”.

Mike tells Johnny, “H-A-P-P-Y” (With his left hand, then switches to his right hand) B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y!” A white text appears above Mike “The Two-Handed Speller”.

Johnny replies, “T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U” as he drifts each letter sideways until he actually leaves the screen. A white text above Johnny appears “The Drifter”.

Mike asks Johnny, “You like sports?” Johnny replies, “I like S-O-C-C-E-R” as he finger spells each letter facing the floor and Mike struggles to read. A white text above Johnny appears, “The Floor Talker”.

Johnny asks Mike, “You like sports?” Mike replies, “I like F-O-O-T-B-A-L-L” as he finger spells way above his head on his right and Johnny struggles to see.

A white text heading appears, “Fingerspelling Mistake #5”.

Mike asks Johnny, “Where you from?” Johnny replies, “I’m from O-R-E-M as he fingerspells with his hands at his face. A white text above Johnny appears, “The Face Blocker”. Johnny asks Mike, “Where are you from?”. Mike replies, “S-P-R-I-N-G-V-I-L-L-E!” But he finger spells so fast it is nearly incomprehensible. Johnny looks at mike with a confused look on his face and gives an awkward thumbs up.

A white heading text appears, “Now This is Fingerspelling Right!”

Ben Daniel appears on the screen. (He is wearing a black and blue plaid button-up shirt). He says, “Hello! My name is B-E-N D-A-N-I-E-L) he signs very clean and clear.

A white text heading appears, “Let’s look at that again.”

The video repeats as Ben Daniel appears on the screen. He says, “Hello! My name is B-E-N D-A-N-I-E-L) he signs very clean and clear. White texts appear stating, “Near face, no punching, letters in the right direction, no bounce”.

He continues, “I love B-A-S-E-B-A-L-L. White texts appear “Not mouthing each letter, not too fast, confident and practiced”.

Ben continues, “My favorite team is A-T-L-A-N-T-A B-R-A-V-E-S. White texts appear “Only one hand is used, the hand stays in one spot, doesn’t block his face.”

Video ends.