Maltese Sign Language
| Maltese Sign Language | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Malta |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | mdl |
Maltese Sign Language (Lingwi tas-Sinjali Maltin, LSM) is a young sign language of Malta. It developed into its modern form circa 1980 with the establishment of the first Deaf club in Malta, and subsequently with its use in education for the deaf. Its prior history is unrecorded, though there are some signs which indicate contact with British Sign Language (Malta was a British colony until 1964). These signs are relatively few, however, and LSM is not part of the BSL family (Brentari 2010).
References
- Marie Azzopardi-Alexander, "Iconicity and the development of Maltese Sign Language", in Fabri, ed., Maltese Linguistics: A Snapshot, 2009
