CHAPTER 5:

  Why isnt American sign language like British sign language?

American sign language owes nothing to English. American English derives from British English, people assume they have to be the same but they are not.
In fact, there isnt much similarity between ASL and BSL. They both developed from two completely different sources.

ASL and BSL are two different languages. BSL is the creation of members of the deaf community in the British Isles, New Zealand and Austrailia. ASL is an indigenous product influenced by French sign language. BSL could be mistaken for ASL at first glance, except it isnt "readable" to an ASL user who doesnt know BSL.

More differences

BSL uses a two-handed manual alphabet while ASL and FSL use a one-handed version derived from the spanish fingerspelling system. Signs appear similar but are different.

"BSL is a beautiful, expressive and vivid language, in its own right, and reflects the culture, struggle, and visual humor of the British deaf community."