Final Answer:
Historical Old French Sign Language arrived on U.S. soil in the early 19th century, brought by Laurent Clerc and Thomas Gallaudet, establishing the foundation for American Sign Language (ASL).
Step-by-step explanation:
Historical Old French Sign Language's arrival in the United States can be attributed to the efforts of Laurent Clerc, a Deaf French teacher, and Thomas Gallaudet, an American educator. In the early 19th century, Clerc and Gallaudet collaborated to establish the first permanent school for the Deaf in the U.S., known as the American School for the Deaf (ASD) in Hartford, Connecticut.
Clerc, using elements of Old French Sign Language, contributed significantly to the formation of American Sign Language (ASL), blending aspects of both French Sign Language and indigenous sign languages. The collaborative efforts of Clerc and Gallaudet laid the groundwork for the development and widespread adoption of ASL, which continues to be a vibrant and integral part of the Deaf community in the United States.
Laurent Clerc's influence on American Sign Language is profound. He not only introduced elements of Old French Sign Language but also contributed to the adaptation and evolution of sign language in the American context.
This cultural and linguistic exchange between Clerc and Gallaudet facilitated the creation of ASL, which has since become a distinct and expressive language with its own grammar and syntax. The historical significance of the arrival of Old French Sign Language on U.S. soil underscores the rich and interconnected history of Deaf education and the development of sign languages in the United States.