Cherokee language facts for kids

The Cherokee language (ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ, Tsalagi Gawonihisdi) is an endangered language spoken by the Cherokee people.

Writing system

The Cherokee do not use the Latin alphabet (ABCs) like English does. Instead, they use their own alphabet, which looks a lot like the ABCs. Each letter represents a different syllable sound. This special alphabet was invented by a Cherokee man named Sequoyah.

Below is a chart of all the letters of the Cherokee alphabet and the sound each one makes.

Notes:

1. In the chart, ‘v’ represents a nasal vowel, which is pronounced like "ung" in "lung".
2. The character Ꮩ do is shown upside-down in some fonts. It should look like the Latin letter V.

Grammar

The Cherokee language uses many prefixes and suffixes.

Images for kids

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  Number of speakers

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  Cherokee Heritage Center - New Hope Church - Bible cover in Cherokee script (2015-05-27 14.09.44 by Wesley Fryer)

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  Translation of Genesis into the Cherokee language, 1856

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  Tsali Boulevard (transcription: ᏣᎵ ᏧᏩᏐᎯᏍᏗ – "tsali tsuwasohisdi") in Cherokee, North Carolina

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  Oklahoma Cherokee language immersion school student writing in the Cherokee syllabary.

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  The Cherokee language taught to preschool students at New Kituwah Academy

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  Sequoyah, inventor of the Cherokee syllabary

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  Cherokee stop sign, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, with ᎠᎴᏫᏍᏗᎭ "alehwisdiha" (also spelled "halehwisda") meaning "stop"

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  Cherokee traffic sign in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, reading Ꮭ ᎠᏗ ᏱᎩ "tla adi yigi", meaning "no parking" from "tla" meaning "no"

See also

In Spanish: Idioma cheroqui para niños