up your fore-finger and
Imagine you couldn't hear what people were saying fingers are folded down. 'O' is made by touching your
around you. This is what it means to be deaf. Deaf peo-
four fingers to your thumb to .make an 'O' - like shape.
ple have learned to talk by using their hands to make The letter Vis easy. You hold
individual letters or symbols for whole words and ide-
your middle finger in the shape of a 'V while your
as. Sometimes, a new word is made that doesn't have a
your
thumb.
ring and pinkie fingers are folded under
symbol or sign. Similarly, people's names usually don't It looks like a peace' sign. Finally, to make the 'E' we
have a sign. In these cases, deaf people spell (letter by
letter) the word they want to say, and they make these
letters with their hands and fingers.
Let's try to explain how to spell 'I love you' using
American Sign Language or ASL. Most of the let-
ters in ASL are made by turning your palm toward
the person you are speaking to. Generally, if you are
right-handed, you would use your right hand to fin-
Agerspell a word.
The first letter T' is made by folding your first three
fingers under your thumb, and letting your little finger
stick straight up.
The letter L is formed by making an 'L' shape with
your index finger and your thumb. Your other three . Traducerea