Sign language

Sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns (manual communication, body language) to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's thoughts.

Sign languages are full-fledged natural languages with their own grammar and lexicon. This means that sign languages are not universal and they are not mutually intelligible, although there are also substantial similarities among sign languages.

History

The history of sign language is complex and varied. The first known sign language, a monastic sign language, was developed in Europe in the 6th century. The first public school for the deaf was established in Paris in 1755, and sign language was used for instruction.

Types of Sign Languages

There are many different types of sign languages, including:

• American Sign Language
• British Sign Language
• French Sign Language
• Japanese Sign Language

Use in Society

Sign language is used by millions of people worldwide. It is primarily used by the deaf and hard of hearing, but is also used by hearing individuals, such as those who can hear but cannot physically speak.

See Also

• List of sign languages
• Fingerspelling
• Bimodal bilingualism

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