In Italy and French Standardized Sign Language existed since the 1700's and 1800's respectively. 3. French was the official language of England for about 300 years. Meanwhile, 1 out 5 Europeans speaks French as a second language. French is an official language in Europe (of course), but also in North America, South America, Africa, Asia and French Polynesia. SSL (Standardized Sign Language) was largely used to teach the Deaf People. Of all the language facts, this one fascinates us the most- at least half of the world’s population is bilingual! Presently, American Sign Language (ASL) and French Sign Language are very different, however there are still quite a few ASL signs that come directly from France. American Sign Language (ASL) is quite different from British Sign Language (BSL), despite the fact that English is the spoken language of both countries. This language spread across Europe as more students were educated. An estimate for the European Union is 750,000 Deaf sign language users. French Sign Language ("langue des signes française" or LSF) is the national language of the Deaf in France and French-speaking parts of Switzerland. Many linguists believe that language originated around 100,000 BC. A language profile for French Sign Language. For example, "with" in English is "avec" in French. Following the Norman Conquest, French was the language of the King and Court from 1066 to 1362 (that's about three hundred years). It’s hard to imagine that French was the official language of England between 1066 and 1362. Like English, French is truly a global language. On average, Deaf sign language users make up about 0.1% of the whole population in any given country. The French Sign Language are also a big role player in the development of American Sign Language. The standard language L’Epee used in the history of sign language is known as Old French Sign Language. French Sign Language. Charles Michel De L'Eppe, a French priest, was really considered the "Father of Sign Language and Deaf Education" because he established the first free public school for the deaf in Paris. Though English regained prominence in the 14th century, the English language today is still peppered with French-derived words and phrases. The same can be said for the word "see" in English. No one is positive where or when sign language began, but experts believe it may have started over 200 years ago when French Sign Language (LSF) mixed with local sign languages, creating the resulting American Sign Language. French was once the official language of England. The above picture shows the sign … French Sign Language (LSF) is the native language of approximately 100,000 native signers in France. Many people say that Abbe de L’Epee invented sign language–which is not true. 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