Introduction to New Zealand Sign Language through the SCA

Introduction to NZSL

• ABC's

• Numbers

The Alphabet of NZSL, Learning how to Fingerspell

• NZSL uses the same alphabet as BSL and Auslan.

• If learning all the letters in alphabetical order is difficult, grouping the letters based on some similarities may help. The following practice words for fingerspelling are not words in necessarily signs that are normally fingerspelled in conversation but are listed here for practice. 

• A, E, I, O, U. (Dominant hand pointing to a particular finger of the non-dominant hand).

• C, D, K, R (hooked finger letters)

  • What words can you fingerspell at this point in time? DAD, DUO, CAID, ACED

• L, M, N, V, T, Z (T similar to L, but placement of dominant hand is oriented differently; Z similar to T but dominant hand has different handshape).

  • What words can you spell now? KING, VOLUME, ZONATE

• B, P, Q ('a-okay' handshapes)

  • What words can you spell now? QUEEN, BARON, POET, EQUATION, AMBITION

• Rules for double letters:

  • .... the internet in general says it's the same thing as ASL but Nicasia cannot find a video or signing source that actually show or say that.

  • Starting at 1:04 in the video, rules for fingerspelling double-letters:

    • Three "right" ways to fingerspell two of the same letter in a row. 

      • Slide

      • Tap

      • Arch/Arc

• J, H, Y (moving letters)

  • What words can you spell now? JOUSTED, LOCHAC, BARONY, ROYALTY, MAJESTIES

• F, G, S, W, X (crossing finger/hand letters). 

  • What words can you spell now? CROWD, THRONES, COEXIST FACETIOUS, WISEGUYS, FATIGUE, STOWAWAY, TOXIC

• Auslan Fingerspelling Practice 

  • Signbank

  • SignPlanet