History Of Sign Language

Was deaf & mute person the discoverer of sign language?

If we hadn't a voice or a tongue, and wanted to express things to one another, wouldn't we try to make signs by moving our hands, head, and the rest of our body, just as dumb people do at present?

It seems that not only deaf & mute people have used signed languages throughout history, normal people too.

Let's first understand what is sign language. Wikipedia defines sign language as 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.

Upon knowing the above said definition, let's see who invented or discovered the sign language.

According to FREE Quote site:

The history of sign language development is an interesting one and most likely dates back to the time before any spoken languages were established.

Why Sign Language?

Sign language is used when verbal communication is undesirable or impossible.

Communication between two individuals may be impossible for any number of reasons. Two people who speak different languages and who are unable to converse verbally may resort to basic gestures to communicate, for example, while a deaf-mute individual may learn an intricate system of sign language that allows him to communicate with others non-verbally.

Early History of Sign Language

The history of sign language is thought to be older than any known form of verbal speech.

A basic type of sign language may include any number of basic gestures, including shrugged shoulders, pointed fingers and facial expressions. In many respects, sign language is a global language; basic gestures such as the pointing of a finger are capable of being understood by individuals around the world, whether or not they speak the same language.