Martha's Vineyard once was a place you could gossip with neighbors, shop for supplies, or play a cutthroat game of cards — all without saying a word. That's because it had a thriving Deaf community. Residents, Deaf and hearing alike, communicated with a unique version of sign language that predates ASL. But it's mostly forgotten today.

Today we dig into Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language (MVSL) and the folks who are working to keep its history.

*

On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story each week. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.

Hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English
Written by Joanna Sokolowski and Julia Smith
Additional Writing by Marisa Brown
Produced by Josh Fisher
Editing and Sound Design by Josh Thane
Mixing and Mastering by Baheed Frazier
Story Editors are Abbey Stone and Marisa Brown
Research and Fact-Checking by Meredith Danko, Austin Thompson, Joanna Sokolowski, and Julia Smith
Original Music by Elise McCoy
Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla
Executive Producer is Jason English

Oral history clips with Eric Cottle, Everett Poole, Sydney Harris, and Jane Slater are excerpted from interviews conducted with Linsey Lee, Martha's Vineyard Museum Oral History Curator. Courtesy of the Martha's Vineyard Museum.

Thanks for listening! You don't owe us any favors. But if you enjoy the show and want to do us one anyway, could you head over to your favorite podcast platform(s) and leave us a rating?

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

.css-aamugw{display:none;float:left;margin-right:0.5rem;}@media only screen and (max-height: 149px){.css-aamugw{display:block;}}Signs of Life: Revisiting Martha's Vineyard Sign Language •iHeart

.css-x5l0ng{color:#27292D;display:inline-block;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-x5l0ng svg{color:#27292D;display:block;fill:#27292D;}.css-x5l0ng:focus{outline:.5rem auto -webkit-focus-ring-color;outline:.5rem auto Highlight;}Haileywood

Signs of Life: Revisiting Martha's Vineyard Sign Language

Signs of Life: Revisiting Martha's Vineyard Sign Language •
iHeart

Haileywood