This article starts off by comparing the acquisition of sign language to the acquisition of spoken language. Both, even though most would think differently, sign language and spoken language have similar structures and acquisitions. Both types of language even have the same developmental milestones. He then proceeds to talk about how languages come to be created and that it is easier for words to be created and language to change in sign language than it is with spoken language. He attributes this to the fact that manual modality makes it easy to invent representations (signs) that even naive observers could understand.
In an earlier class we had talked about how language is always changing. Slang words and new words come up all the time, and just as fast, other words and phrases fade away. The language we speak today is very different from the language spoken just centuries ago. But what brings about this change?
Goldin-Meadow discusses the development of new sign language that arose in Israel about 200 years ago. A completely new language had to develop because about 150 members (there was a total of 3500 members in the population) were deaf. ABSL (Al-Sayyid Bedouin Sign Language) developed in order for these people to communicate. I was in awe when I read because when I think of language, I think of it being around for thousands of years. Yeah, I know it changes all the time, but to know that a completely new language just developed 200 years ago is amazing to me.