…if they’re deaf. British Sign Language and American Sign Language are different languages, and are not mutually intelligible.
American Sign Language is distantly related to French Sign Language, as an American pastor and major contributor to American Sign Language got training from the National French Institute for the Deaf after the British deaf schools refused to share their teaching methods.
British Sign Language evolved independently from deaf communicators. Evidence of sign language in England dates back to 1576 when the Marriage Register of St Martin’s, Leicester described the vows signed by Thomas Tillsye.
