To sign "Melanie," you will fingerspell the name. Start by forming the letter 'M' with three fingers draped over your thumb. Then, transition to 'E' by curling your fingers in with your thumb tucked below. Next, form 'L' with your index finger and thumb extended, followed by 'A' as a fist with the thumb on the side. Continue with 'N' (two fingers over the thumb), 'I' (pinky extended), and finish with another 'E'. Keep your hand steady in front of your shoulder.
Sign 'MY FRIEND NAME', then smoothly fingerspell M-E-L-A-N-I-E.
Fingerspell M-E-L-A-N-I-E, then sign 'COME PARTY', raising your eyebrows at the end to indicate a yes/no question.
Sign 'I NEED CALL', then fingerspell M-E-L-A-N-I-E to specify who you are calling.
Sign 'MY FRIEND NAME', then smoothly fingerspell M-E-L-A-N-I-E.
Fingerspell M-E-L-A-N-I-E, then sign 'COME PARTY', raising your eyebrows at the end to indicate a yes/no question.
Sign 'I NEED CALL', then fingerspell M-E-L-A-N-I-E to specify who you are calling.
Yes, unless the specific person named Melanie has been given a unique 'name sign' by a Deaf person. Until you know their specific name sign, you should always fingerspell their name.
Clarity is much more important than speed! Focus on forming each letter clearly. As you practice, your speed will naturally increase, but never sacrifice clarity just to sign faster.
No, you should not mouth the individual letters. Instead, you can naturally mouth the full word 'Melanie' as you fingerspell it, which helps provide context to the person reading your signs.
