What is a key distinction of expressive fingerspelling?

Expressive fingerspelling is characterized by the act of using fingerspelling as a means of communication from the speaker’s side. This includes the process of articulating words and conveying specific concepts through hand shapes and movements that represent the letters of the alphabet. It emphasizes the sender's ability to produce signs in real-time to communicate effectively, particularly in situations where the exact term or name needs to be conveyed, such as proper nouns or specific terminology that may not have an established sign.

The other options highlight aspects of communication but do not capture the essence of expressive fingerspelling as clearly. For instance, the focus on comprehension pertains more to receptive fingerspelling, where understanding the signed words is the main goal. Saying words aloud relates to verbal communication rather than the manual aspect of fingerspelling, and the idea of being used exclusively in writing suggests a limitation that does not apply to fingerspelling, which is primarily a visual-gestural form of communication.