To sign 'Maya', you will fingerspell the name using the American manual alphabet. Hold your dominant hand in front of your shoulder, facing outward. Form the letter 'M' by tucking your thumb under your first three fingers. Transition to 'A' by making a fist with your thumb resting on the side. Next, form 'Y' by extending your thumb and pinky while keeping the other fingers curled, and finish with 'A' again.
Sign 'MY FRIEND NAME', and then clearly fingerspell M-A-Y-A to introduce her.
Fingerspell M-A-Y-A, then sign 'COME PARTY'. Remember to raise your eyebrows at the end to indicate a yes/no question.
Sign 'YESTERDAY I MEET', and then fingerspell M-A-Y-A to complete the sentence.
Sign 'MY FRIEND NAME', and then clearly fingerspell M-A-Y-A to introduce her.
Fingerspell M-A-Y-A, then sign 'COME PARTY'. Remember to raise your eyebrows at the end to indicate a yes/no question.
Sign 'YESTERDAY I MEET', and then fingerspell M-A-Y-A to complete the sentence.
No, clarity is much more important than speed, especially for beginners. Focus on forming each letter correctly and smoothly. As you practice and build muscle memory, your fingerspelling speed will naturally increase.
You should keep your hand relatively still, in a comfortable position near your shoulder or chest. Avoid bouncing your hand up and down or pushing it forward with each letter, as this is distracting and hard to read.
If you misspell a letter, don't panic. Simply pause, shake your hand slightly or sign 'NO' to indicate a correction, and start spelling the name again from the beginning.
