Why do the British and the Americans use different sign languages?

Question

Since the British and the Americans both speak English, one would think they would use the same sign language, right?

Answer 1

Sign languages are independent from spoken languages. For example, ASL is not based on English; it is it's own complete language. Sign languages usually arise among populations of deaf people. So when deaf people in the U.S. got together, they must have created a different sign language from the one created by deaf people in the U.K.

Answer 2

They may both speak English, but not the same language. Maybe this is the difference in sign language.

Answer 3

You have to define sign language there is American Sign language and many others it depends on the signer. But I think there is a British Sign language,

Here is something to help you http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sign_languages

Answer 4

Because we have different words in our spoken English (accent, grammar, spelling, intonation, meaning), so it's only natural that our sign languages would differ as well.

Answer 5

Welll we don't even speak the same language so why would we speak the same sign language?

Answer 6

well united kingdom made the English Language but U.S thinks they are the coolest and made a little changes in the english, i think they changed only the spelling thou

Answer 7

we do not speak the same kind of English, though.

for example (though obvious ones) we call their 'crisps' 'chips' and their 'chips' 'fries' then there's lifts (elevators), fags (cigarettes), and the loo (bathroom). very different forms of the same language.

Answer 8

Well the slang is different in Britain and the way they speak (in sentences) is slightly different.

Answer 9

its the same thing, but like different idiums

Answer 10

maybe some english people have crooked hands? i dont know maybe im just being ethnocentric