To sign "apartment," you will use a lexicalized fingerspelling of the abbreviation "A-P-T." Using your dominant hand, start by forming the ASL letter 'A' with your palm facing forward. Then, quickly transition into the letter 'P,' and finally end with the letter 'T.' The movement should be smooth and fluid, blending the letters together like a single sign.
Point to yourself for 'I,' sign 'live,' then sign 'small,' and finish by fluidly spelling A-P-T.
Sign 'my,' then spell A-P-T, followed by signing 'third' and 'floor' to indicate the location.
Sign 'you,' 'look for,' 'new,' and spell A-P-T, while keeping your eyebrows raised to indicate a yes/no question.
Point to yourself for 'I,' sign 'live,' then sign 'small,' and finish by fluidly spelling A-P-T.
Sign 'my,' then spell A-P-T, followed by signing 'third' and 'floor' to indicate the location.
Sign 'you,' 'look for,' 'new,' and spell A-P-T, while keeping your eyebrows raised to indicate a yes/no question.
In ASL, many common words are abbreviated and fingerspelled so quickly that they become their own signs, known as lexicalized fingerspelling. "A-P-T" is the universally accepted and most efficient way to sign "apartment."
Yes, typically there is a slight outward or sliding movement as you transition through the letters. This smooth, gliding motion is characteristic of lexicalized fingerspelling.
You can mouth the full word "apartment" or simply the letters "A-P-T" to help clarify your meaning. However, the smooth, blended handshapes are the most important part of conveying the concept clearly.
