In the 1970s additional researchers identified Palm Orientation as an additional defining characteristic of ASL vocabulary. For our purposes we will define Hand Configuration as the combination of Handshape and Palm Orientation.
Proper Hand Configuration for signed languages should not cause undue stress on the signer. In other words, the phonetics, or muscle movement, required to generate language should not cause damage. If you are hurting yourself using language then you are not using the language correctly - FOR YOU.
So to begin, the muscles in the hand need move only enough to generate distinctive characteristics between the options used in a given signed language. In ASL, for example, the handshapes associated with spelling the letters "A" and "S" are distinguished by thumb posture/location. In the "A" posture the thumb is to the side. In the "S" posture the thumb is opposed to the palm, covering some of the fingers. As a point of contrast, Russian Sign Language does not distinguish these handshapes (either one is an acceptable representation of the Cyrillic letter "C" (equivalent to the Roman "S"). An "S" is no more correct or distinct if the thumb contacts the ring finger, middle finger or only the index finger... the point of distinction is that it covers at least one finger and is opposed to the palm rather than aligned with it.
The finger extensions in the hand configurations associated with the letters "T", "N", and "M" are distinct only in the number of the fingers to either side of the thumb. There is not additional distinction made by forcing the pads of the fingers to contact the back of the thumb.
Palm orientation plays a defining characteristic for the hand configurations associated with the letters "K" and "P". A closer examination reveals that the extended fingers only need to be either at/below horizontal ("P") or at/above horizontal ("K") to provide sufficient distinction.
So why do some of us struggle to generate "over-articulated" hand configurations? Because over-articulated hand configurations are easier to draw. Fingerspelling charts across history have shown us idealized hand configurations that only occur when someone asks "How do you make a 'K'?" They show us fingernails for all four fingers for the letters "T", "N" and "M" because it is easier to represent a finger that is pointed down rather than straight out at the viewer.
So let's check ourselves... Start with your hand open in a "5" handshape. Move your index finger down to your palm and place the pad of your thumb over it... like a tight "F" handshape. Now move the rest of your fingers down and look at your hand from the front. That's an "S"... or more accurately, that's one version of an "S" handshape.
Now open your hand and quickly make your normal "S" handshape. Look at your hand. Some of you have your thumb touching only your index and middle fingers. Some of you have a tighter hand configuration with your thumb touching three fingers. If anyone has their thumb touching their pinky then you are misarticulating the "S" handshape and I'll explain why in a minute. First... look at your hand and change from touching the index-only, two fingers and three fingers. Notice how your thumb is moving to make the difference between the two-fingered version and the three-fingered version.
Let me take a moment to ask you... how many people have ever thought about this before or done this kind of self examination?
A quick google search of fingerspelling charts will show you that most representation of the handshape show the thumb covering the index and middle fingers. Some barely touch the middle, some show contact with the ring finger. My point is that any of these are sufficient to be understood as an "S", so find the version that is most-comfortable (least painful) for you.
Alright. So you're saying to yourselves, "That's great, Brian.... thanks for teaching me how to fingerspell. I really am glad that I came al the way to a national conference to get that in a workshop!" My point is only that you notice your own behaviors and see if anything your are doing is a potential risk. Are you doing things to yourselves that are hurting you (or at least using more effort/energy than necessary) and can you make changes now that will reduce your risk of injury?
So let me describe two Self-Analysis Projects for you to work on and then we are moving on.
Self-Analysis Project #1 - when you have five minutes of free time and no one else is looking, check your own production of all the hand configurations you use to generate the alphabet. Start by tensing the muscles in your hand and making the cleanest, correct version of the handshape and hold that posture for several seconds. Release all the tension in your hand and let your fingers come to a more natural posture. NOW LOOK AT YOUR HAND and put it into your brain that this hand configuration without undue tension is YOUR TARGET VERSION of that handshape.
Self-Analysis Project #2 - when you have a week of time to mentally complete this process work your way through the entire alphabet two letters at a time. Imagine a 26-by-26 grid that has every possible two-letter combination in it from A+A and A+B all the way to Z+Y and Z+Z. Pick a letter and work your way through all the possible combinations of that letter with every other letter THREE TIMES EACH before moving to the next letter. Let's run through the first several sequences with the hand configuration associated with the letter "B"... BA, BA, BA; BB, BB, BB; BC, BC, BC...
The point to this exercise is not to notice the hand configurations for each handshape (That was Project #1), but rather notice the shortest, cleanest, most direct movements that get you from the first to the second handshape. These are called EPENTHETIC movements and they are not meaningful in themselves, but when done smoothly and without hesitations or extraneous movement they help the viewer to better predict the next handshape. Notice that the transition from "B" to "A" requires the four fingers to move in unison and for the thumb to move simultaneously. All four fingers should reach their final posture at the same time as each other and also at the same time that the thumb is at it's final posture.
Practice smooth, direct and accurate movements. When you have completed all the possibilities in the 26-by-26 grid of two-letter combinations you have generated every possible sequence for everything that you will ever fingerspell. Put that into your brain and let it stay there. You will no longer ever need to feel overwhelmed with spelling anything in the future because you have already done it before accurately and smoothly.
So one final TIP and we move on. When you need to fingerspell, SLOW DOWN. There is not point to fingerspelling quickly just to make errors so that you have to start all over again. If you don't appreciate Deaf people fingerspelling quickly at you then consider that they might appreciate seeing your fingerspelling done smoothly, calmly and correctly one time rather than multiple attempts. DO IT RIGHT - ONCE.
