Maltese Sign Language: Parallel interwoven journeys of the Deaf community and the researchers

This article traces the rapid development of Maltese Sign Language (LSM) from a
language that was reportedly restricted to informal day-to-day communication by
the Deaf community, to one that is now widely used in both informal and formal
settings, including in the context of academic subjects such as the sciences, and
in the context of professional activities. The article gives an account of LSM from
a historical perspective, paying particular attention to its roots within the Deaf
community, culminating in its recent recognition as an official language of Malta.