Word Origin & History
Ameslan1972, acronym of Ame(rican) S(ign) Lan(guage), known by that name since 1960, but its history goes back to 1817, evolving from French Sign Language (introduced at American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Conn.) and indigenous sign languages, especially that of Martha's Vineyard. [See "Everyone Here
EXPAND Spoke Sign Language," Nora Ellen Groce, Harvard University Press, 1985]
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