American Sign Language has French roots
American Sign Language, vital for deaf communication, surprisingly traces its roots to 19th-century French Sign Language through pioneering cross-cultural collaboration, shaping its unique structure.
Did you know American Sign Language (ASL) has a surprising French connection? In 1816, American educator Thomas Gallaudet traveled to Paris, learning from deaf teacher Laurent Clerc. Together, they founded the American School for the Deaf in 1817, blending French Sign Language (LSF) with local American signs.
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