Fun fact:
A deaf American decides to backpack around Europe. he meets many deaf people there. He tries to communicate with them. Where does he have the most trouble?
The United Kingdom. American Sign Language Was based on French Sign Language with a little Martha's Vineyard Native American sign language thrown in for spice. French sign language was also, with modifications, spread around most of Europe, even as far as Russia. The British, however, had to be different, and developed their own sign language, British Sign language. It has almost no relation to ASL - Even finger spelling is different.
originally written in american sign language - moved because WU has more to do with BSL than ASL.