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.
There are two families of manual alphabets used for representing the Latin alphabet:
- one-handed manual alphabets, used with some substantial variations in most European and American sign languages;
- the two-handed manual alphabet, used for British Sign Language and the related dialects of Auslan and New Zealand Sign Language.
Both of these systems are based on iconic representation of the shapes of the letters of the Latin alphabet. Similar systems exist for the Cyrillic, Greek, Hindi, Bengali, Arabic, Hebrew, Thai, and Korean alphabets, among others. There are also manual syllabaries, such as the one used for Japanese 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 features of capital letters of the Latin alphabet in the palm of a deafblind person's hand.
See also
External links
- Deafblind alphabets explained with graphics for the sighted.
ca:Alfabet dactilològic de:Fingeralphabet fi:sormiaakkoset it:Alfabeto manuale ja:指文字 hu:Daktil nl:Handalfabet