The "agent affix" in American Sign Language (ASL)

American Sign Language: Agent Affix / Person Affix / Person Sign

Also known as the "person affix."
The agent affix is added to some signs to create a new concept of "a person who does."

Notice the sign for "TEACHER."

The first two frames show the concept "TEACH." The last two frames show the sign "AGENT." Meaning, an agent of teaching. Or "a person who teaches."

Let's take a look at the sign for student:

The first two frames show the concept "LEARN." Notice the last two frames. That is the AGENT-affix sign.

Note: Not all "person" signs use the agent sign. Some do, some don't. Oh well.

In a message dated 4/21/2005 7:06:07 AM Pacific Daylight Time, akarajeurs@hotmail.com writes:

How do you sign "person"? We haven't learned it in the lessons.

Response: Actually, when the practice sentences use the concept "person" it is generally expressed by the sign "AGENT."
For example, "sales-person" would be signed "SELL-AGENT."