Sign language is a very important mode of communication for people who cannot speak or hear all over the world. This is an effective language which is a medium for imparting education to the deaf communities.

If you want to know who invented the sign language, you must go back to the year 1620 when the first book of sign language was published by Juan Pablo de Bonet to help the deaf community communicate. His book originated based on the Italian physician Girolamo Cardano's finding that ideas could be understood by a deaf person even though he cannot hear sound or words spoken. The code that he invented for this purpose came to prominence only after the publication of this book.

If you deeply analyze as to who invented the sign language, it is very difficult to pin point one particular person or group. The sign language actually evolved as a natural process due to the necessity to impart education and knowledge to the deaf communities all over the world. Every language and every region and country developed their own sign languages.

If you still go deeper in the analysis of who invented the sign language, we find that in the year 1755, the first school for the deaf was founded by Abbe Charles Michel de L'Epee of Paris. The method he used for imparting education was by using fingerspelling, hand shapes, gestures and facial expressions.

In the year 1788, another public school was founded in Germany by Samuel Heinicke. Here he taught the deaf speech reading and speech using more of mouthing.

The first school for the deaf in the United States was founded by Laurent Clerc and Thomas Hopikins Gallaudet in the year 1817. The liberal arts college in Washington Dc for the deaf which was one of its kind was founded in the year 1864.

Looking further into who invented the sign language, we find that the American sign language has its origin in Europe. The signing system formed by Abbe De L'Epee of France forms the basis of the American Sign Language. This signing system also called the methodical signs was modified to an extent to be incorporated into the American Sign Language system.

Over a period of time, sign languages started having counterparts in the spoken languages of various regions and countries and various forms originated. Each linguistic population therefore came out with their own version of sign languages.

Sign languages therefore were influenced by the cultural and geographical forces of different parts of the world. One common sign language developed which is similar in certain respects called the International sign was developed to facilitate the deaf community from all over the world to participate and communicate effectively in international events like theDeaflympics, World federation of the Deaf, etc.

Thus it is clear that there is no one person you can pinpoint who invented the sign language. It evolved throughout the world as a gradual and natural process fuelled by the necessity of communication for the deaf communities from all over the world.