Manual alphabet
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A manual alphabet is a system of representing all the letters of an alphabet, using only the hands. Making words using a manual alphabet is called fingerspelling. Manual alphabets are a part of sign languages.
The two main manual alphabets used for representing the Roman alphabet are:
- the one-handed manual alphabet - used (with some variations) in most European Sign Languages, American Sign Language, Japanese Sign language,and International Sign Language.
- the two-handed manual alphabet - used in British Sign Language as well as in the related languages of Auslan and New Zealand Sign Language.
Communication with deafblind people also uses manual alphabets. Examples are the Deafblind Manual Alphabet (touching a deafblind person's hand in special ways signifies letters) or the Block Alphabet (also known as the Spartan Alphabet), in which one traces capital letters of the Latin alphabet in the palm of a deafblind person's hand.
See also
External links
- Deafblind alphabets (http://www.deafblind.com/card.html) explained with graphics for the sighted.
ca:Alfabet dactilològic de:Fingeralphabet ja:指文字 nl:Handalfabet