Moroccan Sign Language

Moroccan Sign Language (MSL; French: language des signes du Maroc/langue des signes marocaine (LSM)) is the primary sign language used by the deaf community in Tétouan and several other cities and regions of Morocco.

Moroccan Sign Language was created by American Peace Corps volunteers in Tetouan c. 1987, from American Sign Language (ASL) and existing signs; there is less than a 50% lexical similarity with ASL. It is not clear if the 'existing signs' were home sign or an established village sign language. The language is used in three programs for the deaf, but not throughout the country: it is not used in the large cities of Rabat, Tangier, or Casa Blanca, for example. In Oujda, near the Algerian border, Algerian Sign Language is used, or at least the local sign language has been strongly influenced by it.

The language has also been strongly influenced by French Sign Language (LSF). MSL is part of the wider family of sign languages influenced by ASL and has developed its own distinct linguistic identity. Moroccan Sign Language was recognized in 1994 in national legislation. The language plays a key role in Deaf education, though access remains uneven, and much deaf education occurs in private centers with limited government oversight. Recent initiatives have focused on increasing access through digital tools and teacher training.

From Wikipedia · Moroccan Sign Language · CC BY-SA 4.0