© 1999 Paget Gorman Society
Last updated: March 1999
This list includes some affixes already described under the sections on Verbs and Functional signs, and all those other prefixes and suffixes which may be used within Paget Gorman Signed Speech.
affixes should be used with care. The final word must be related in meaning to the word from which it is derived e.g. help will generate help-er, help-ful, un-help-ful, help-less-ness, as well as the verb forms help-ed and help-ing.
The signs for most affixes are usually slightly different from the sign for the whole word to which they correspond. There is a real difference between `a cup full of milk', and `a cup_ful_ of milk' which may be left in a bottle.
It is the meanings of the words rather than their spelling which are important. Some affixes may have different spellings associated with the same sign, as in burglar, singer and actor.
Prefixes should be signed immediately before the word, and suffixes immediately afterwards, using the same hand for one-handed sign and the moving hand in a two-handed sign if only one hand moves. The only exceptions are for the verb endings. See Rules for Signing Verbs; see -ed and -en (verb) below.
An example of a word is given with each affix as it is easier to learn an affix as part of a word than in isolation.
a- (e.g. alike)
Hold CLOSED hand but
with 1st & 2nd fingers
crooked round tip of straight thumb, palm upward & fingers
forward-inward; then jerk hand upwards one finger breadth.
-able (e.g. eatable, comfortable)
Hold 1st FIST hand, back
outward
& fingers forward, and hold 2nd
1,2nd finger hand, back forward and 1st & 2nd fingers
pointing
inward, with lower knuckle of its 4th finger on lower knuckle of 1st thumb; then slide 2nd hand
forwards one hand length [Compare ABLE].
-age (e.g. shortage)
Hold both 1,2nd finger hands, backs upward
and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward,
one hand breadth apart; then jerk
both hands outwards one hand breadth.
-al (e.g. arrival)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, palm upward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward-inward;
then by wrist action, turn hand till 1st & 2nd fingers
pointing forward & back outward. [Compare ALL].
anti- (e.g. anti-aircraft)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, back outward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward;
then jerk hand forwards one hand's breadth.
-ation (e.g. interpretation)
See -ion.
dis- (e.g. disagree)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, back outward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward;
then jerk hand outwards one hand's breadth. [Compare BUT].
-ed (verb) (e.g. showed)
Sign simple past tense of verb.
-ee (e.g. payee)
Hold hand as PERSON;
then move hand downwards one hand's breadth.
-en (verb) (e.g. has shown)
Sign simple past participle of verb.
-en (e.g. wooden)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, back
forward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward-downward;
then jerk hand inward-downwards one hand's breadth.
-ent (e.g. independent)
Hold thumb 1st finger hand
but with its 2nd finger also
extended straight and pressed on ball of thumb,
thumb and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward & fingers upward; then by
finger-action jerk 1st & 2nd fingers upwards one finger breadth
from tip of thumb.
-er (comparative) (e.g.
bigger,
happier)
sign comparative form of adjective
-er) (e.g.
helper)
-ar) (Agent)burglar
-or) (collector)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, palm
forward-inward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing upward;
then jerk hand outwards one hand's breadth.
-ery (-ary) (e.g. cookery)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand,
palm forward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing upward; then by wrist action
turn hand till palm upward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward.
-ess (e.g. lioness)
Hold 1Pt. hand but with
2nd finger also extended straight, 1st & 2nd fingers pointing backward & fingers
inward-upward, with tips of 1st & 2nd fingers on front of other
shoulder; then slide hand
downwards one hand's breadth.
-est (Superlative) (e.g.
biggest,
happiest)
Sign Superlative form of adjective.
ex- (e.g. ex-husband)
Hold 1st hand as TIME, and
put 2nd 1st Pt hand
but with 2nd finger also extended straight,
1st & 2nd fingers pointing downward & fingers forward-inward, with tips of
its 1st & 2nd fingers on 1st wrist; then
slide 2nd hand backward-inwards one hand's breadth.
[Compare BEFORE].
FU
- ful (e.g.
helpful,
playful)
Hold 1st C-hand,
palm inward & fingers forward, and put 2nd
1,2nd finger hand
back upward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward,
with balls of its 1st & 2nd fingers on lower knuckle of 1st thumb;
then slide 2nd hand forwards one hand's
breadth. [Compare FULL].
-hood (e.g. childhood)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, back
upward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward-inward,
at waist-level & with elbow on own
side. [Compare TIME].
-ian (e.g. magician)
See -ist.
im-) (negative)
in-) (e.g. impatient, inexpensive) -see -un.
in- (e.g. input)
Hold 1st hand as POSITION, and hold
2nd 1,2nd finger hand, back
forward-inward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing downward,
with tip of its 1st & 2nd fingers one finger's breadth above 1st hand;
then open 1st hand to
O-hand,
and at same time move 2nd hand downwards into O of 1st hand till upper knuckle of
its 1st finger touches upper knuckle of 1st thumb
[Compare IN].
-ing (verb) (e.g.
seeing,
falling)
Sign present participle of verb.
inter- (e.g. international)
Hold 1st hand as POSITION,
and put 2nd 1Pt hand
but with its 2nd finger also extended
straight, back outward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward, with side of
tip of its 2nd finger 1) on lower knuckle
of 1st thumb and 2) on mid knuckle of 1st finger of 1st hand.
-ion) (e.g.action,
-ation) congratulation,
-sion) admission,
-tion) addition)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, palm
forward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing upward;
then by wrist action tilt hand forwards till back upward
and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward.
-ish (e.g. greenish)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, back
forward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward-upward,
with balls of 1st & 2nd fingers on centre of
chin.
-ism (e.g. mechanism)
Put 1,2nd finger hand, back
outward-upward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward-upward,
with balls of 1st & 2nd fingers on own
side of forehead. [Compare MIND]
-ist) (e.g. organist; musician)
-ian)
Hold hand as PERSON;
then jerk hand outwards one hand's breadth.
-ity) (e.g. possibility)
-ty)
Hold Y-hand,
but with 2nd finger also extended straight, thumb and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing
forward-inward & fingers
downward; then slide ball of thumb across balls of 1st & 2nd fingers: return to original
position and repeat action.
-ive (e.g. secretive)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, back
forward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward; then
jerk hand downwards one hand's breadth.
-kind (e.g. mankind)
Hold 1st hand as THING, and put 2nd
1,2nd finger hand, back
upward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward-inward,
with tips of its 1st & 2nd fingers on lower knuckle of 1st thumb.
-less (e.g.
helpless,
useless)
Hold Y-hand,
but with 2nd finger also
extended straight thumb and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward & fingers
forward-upward; then jerk hand inwards one hand's breadth.
[Compare LESS]
-like (e.g. childlike)
Hold both 1,2nd finger hands,
backs upward and 1st & 2nd fingers
pointing forward, one hand's breadth apart.
-ly (adverb) (e.g.
dimly,
quickly)
Sign adverbial form
-ment (e.g. excitment)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand but with 1st & 2nd fingers bent,
back upward & fingers forward; then jerk hand outwards one hand's breadth.
mini- (e.g. minibus)
Hold both 1,2nd finger hands,
backs outward-upward &
1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward-upward, with tips of 1
& 2nd fingers of both hands touching; then trace vertical outwards-downwards
semicircles one finger's breadth
diameter till tips of 1st & 2nd fingers touch again, 1st & 2nd fingers
still pointing inward-upward.
mis- (e.g. mislay)
Hold 1st hand as SURFACE, and hold
2nd 1,2nd finger hand, back
forward-outward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing
forward-inward, with tips of its 1st & 2nd fingers one hand's breadth
above centre of 1st palm; then jerk
2nd hand outward-downwards one hand's length till one hand's
breadth below level of 1st palm [Compare
MISS (to avoid)]
-nce (e.g. difference)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand,
palm upward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward;
then close 1st & 2nd fingers over thumb.
-ness (e.g.
likeness,
quietness)
Hold Y-hand but with
2nd finger
also extended
straight, thumb and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward & fingers
forward-downward; then jerk hand outwards one hand's breadth,
at same time closing
balls of 1st & 2nd fingers on ball of thumb.
-ous (e.g. dangerous)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, back
upward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing
forward-inward; then jerk hand forward-outwards one hand's breadth.
re- (e.g. rejoin)
Hold 1st hand as TIME, and put 2nd
1Pt hand, but with 2nd finger also extended straight,
1st & 2nd fingers pointing downward & fingers forward-inward, with tips of
its 1st & 2nd fingers on 1st wrist; then jerk
2nd hand upwards one hand's breadth: return to original position and repeat
action. [Compare AGAIN]
-ship (e.g. friendship)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand,back
forward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing inward; then jerk hand upwards one
hand's breadth.
-some (e.g. tiresome)
Hold CLOSED hand but
with 1st & 2nd fingers
crooked round tip of straight thumb, palm upward & fingers
forward-inward; then jerk hand downwards one finger's breadth:
return to original position and
repeat action one hand's breadth further outward.
[Compare SOME]
un-) (e.g.
unkind,
untidy)
im-) impossible
in-) indirect,
ir-) irresponsible)
Hold 1,2nd finger hand, back
outward and 1st & 2nd fingers pointing forward;
then by wrist action turn hand till palm outward, 1st & 2nd fingers
still pointing forward. [Compare NOT]
-(e)ure (e.g. closure)
Sign -ing; then by wrist action turn hand forward-downwards till thumb
and 1st finger pointing backward & fingers downward.
-worth (e.g. pennyworth)
Hold 1st 1,2nd finger hand, palm
upward and 1st & 2nd fingers forward-inward,
and put 2nd 1,2nd finger hand
, back upward and 1st & 2nd fingers
pointing forward-inward, with mid knuckles of its 1st & 2nd fingers on mid
knuckles of 1st & 2nd fingers of 1st hand.
-y (e.g. sunny)
Sign adjectival form