Just like the spoken language, there are many sign languages. “All countries, even English-speaking ones, have their own sign language” (2). That’s 195 sign languages if what Laura Berg says is true. (3) Wikipedia states that there are perhaps 300 sign languages used around the world today. Africa has 25 or more sign languages. South America has many local, village, French and more commonly used sign languages. Asia, Europe has French, British, Hungarian, Russian, Swedish, German, mixed and local sign languages. The Middle East has mainly Arab, village and Levantine and family sign languages. There are Danish and Icelandic sign languages. New Zealand and Australia have their own sign languages (4). When I google, “How many sign languages are there?” AI Media Blog says there are upwards of 135 sign languages (5).
If you are fluent in ASL and travel to England, you won’t necessarily be able to understand a person signing British Sign Language (BSL). I remember a funny story I heard on the radio a few years back regarding the English language. Depending on which country your’e in, one word can have very different meanings. For example, a Canadian woman traveled to the United States, stopped at a gas station and asked for a “rubber”. The clerk pointed her to the condoms to her embarrassment and surprise. She was very confused because in Canada, a “rubber” means a “rubber band” or “hair tie”.