Lexicalization in ASL is best described as what process?

• A. Movement may be added.
• B. It is the process of visually reading lips
• C. It is the process of transitioning a fingerspelled word into a sign
• D. It involves mastering five building blocks

Answer: (C)

Lexicalization is the process by which a fingerspelled word becomes a single, conventional sign with its own form and meaning in ASL. Through this process, a sequence spelled with the manual alphabet often tightens into one unit, with adjustments to movement, location, and handshape, and then becomes part of the signed lexicon. That’s why transitioning a fingerspelled word into a sign best captures the concept. The other ideas describe different skills or notions (adding movement as a general feature, lip-reading, or a vague “five building blocks” notion) and don’t describe how a spelled-out word becomes an established sign.