Regional U.K

The origins of BSL can be traced back to early sign languages used by deaf individuals in Britain. These early sign languages were likely influenced by local gestures and signs used in communities, as well as the manual communication methods employed in educational institutions for the deaf. In the 18th century, a breakthrough occurred when a man named Thomas Braidwood opened a school for the deaf in Edinburgh, Scotland. His teaching methods included a combination of manual alphabets and signs, which likely contributed to the development of a more standardized sign language system.

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