08/10/2026
Interesting. I would’ve guessed it was essentially universal.
Sign languages are not universal. Just as spoken languages developed independently around the world, Deaf communities created their own sign languages over time. As a result, there are hundreds of distinct sign languages, each with its own vocabulary and grammar.
Most sign languages are not mutually intelligible. For example, people who use American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) generally cannot understand each other, even though both countries primarily speak English. This is because sign languages follow their own historical development rather than the spoken language of a country. Some are related; for instance, ASL shares much more with French Sign Language than with BSL.
