Where do Sign Languages Come From?

When a deaf child is born to a hearing family, they will often develop a miming system in the home to reach a level of understanding one another. This results in what some people refer to as "home sign language". When a large population of a community is born deaf they may converge to produce their own communication system on a semi-larger scale, resulting in what is known as a "village sign language". In fact, there are both intentionally and non-intentionally cultivated sign languages, but all sign languages start with a desire for human connection.

Micro vs Macro

What's the difference?

Micro Sign Language Communities:

Some sign languages appear to be spontaneous, only occurring due to a high rate of incidental intergenerational deafness in communities or through prolonged contact of deaf community members in schools without existing sign language implementation.


Macro Sign Language Communities:

Some sign languages are spread from pre-existing structures that share them with another institution. This can be through natural migration, but is more often than not related to political structures.


Types of Macro Sign Language Communities

Migration:

      • German Sign Language in Israel
      • French Sign Language in Belgium
      • Separate Italian, French, and German sign languages in Switzerland

Education Systems:

      • French Sign Language (Old LSF) moved from France to the United States through the establishment of the first school for the deaf 1817.
      • British Sign Language (BSL) moved from Scotland and Britain to Australia and New Zealand in 1860s and '70s with the establishment of new schools for the deaf.
      • Swedish Sign Language (SSL) moved to Portugal when a school was established in 1824.
      • American Sign Language (ASL) moved to Nigeria in the 1960's when schools were established by a Black American.

(Religious) Aid Missions

    • Irish Catholic Nuns spread Irish Sign Language (ISL) to India, South Africa and Australia.
    • Scandinavian Sign Languages influence some dialects in Africa and Asia.

Occupation:

    • Japanese Sign Language (JSL) spread during the occupation of Taiwan.

Languages evolve out of a DESIRE to communicate

Most Influential Sign Languages

43% of all Sign Languages are related to French Sign Language (LSF)

Old LSF Influenced -> ASL

20% of all Sign Languages are related to American Sign Language (ASL)

20% Isolated Sign Languages with no connections (Mixed SL)



The first public signing school for the Deaf in the world was in Paris, France and opened in 1769The first and only university for the deaf is in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. and opened in 1864