Nicaraguan Sign Language is facinating. There was no significant Deaf population in Nicaragua (Deaf is used in the deaf community to mean someone who is part of the community and signs, deaf refers to somone who cannot hear but who isn't part of the community) Anyway when the US banned exports to Nicaragua one thing which was banned was anti biotics. Nicaragua had to use older drugs which were available but which caused deafness. So suddenly there was a population of deaf children. The first deaf schools were set up etc. But the facinating thing is that the children developed sign language, they didn't learn it from teachers or parents and it is a language.

"D" Jan.11.04
at languagehat