An Introduction
The Cherokee people originally called themselves the "Principle
People" or Ani Yunwiya, while other tribes called them Cherokee or
"People who speak another language". The Cherokee also refer to
themselves as Tsalagi.

At one time, the Cherokee language had three dialects:

The Eastern Dialect (Elati)
The Middle Dialect (Kituhwa)
The Western Dialect (Atali)

Today, the Elati Dialect is extinct, the Kituhwa Dialect is spoken by
the Cherokee on the Qualla Reservation in Western North Carolina,
and the Atali Dialect is spoken by the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma.

The Eastern or lower dialect is now extinct. It's chief
peculiarity is a rolling, which takes the place of the of the other
dialects. The Cherokee speakers of the Eastern dialect occupied what is
now South Carolina and made the first contact with the British. Due to
the wars and conflicts of the 1800's, the few remaining speakers were
absorbed into the other Cherokee groups further inland.

The Middle dialect (Kituwah) is spoken by the Cherokee now
living on the Qualla reservation in North Carolina. In some of its phonetic
forms it agrees with the Eastern dialect, but resembles the Western in having the sound.

The Western dialect (The Overhill) spoken by the Cherokee Nation
in the West. Because of their isolation, the Kituwah dialect was less impacted
by the influence of other Indian cultures and the many conflicts the Western
Cherokee encountered. The Overhill dialect is the softest and most musical of
this musical language.

In the winter of 1838, the Cherokee Nation was forcibly removed from
what was left of their original lands in the East. 20,000 people were forced along the
The Trail of Tears to the Indian Territory of northeastern Oklahoma. Over 4,000
Cherokees died. The journey was know by the Cherokee as nu-na-hi du-na tlo-hi-lu-i,
the trail where they cried.

Several hundred Cherokee evaded removal by hiding in the mountains of North Carolina.
In 1849 they were given the right to remain on lands purchased in their behalf.
It later became the Qualla Reservation.

The name, Cherokee,occurs in fifty different spellings. In this form it
dates back at least to 1708. From the Eastern dialect came the form tsa-ra-gi,
the form with which the English settlers first became familiar (a rolling r took the place
of the l of the other dialects). Whence came the word Cherokee. The Spaniards,
advancing from the south, became familiar with the other form (Middle and Western: tsa-la-gi)
and spelled the word as Chalaque. Today Cherokees both East and West refer to themselves
in that form: tsi-tsa-la-gi (I am Cherokee).

The proper name by which the Cherokee call themselves is: yun-wi-ya. It comes from
yun-wi (person) and ya (real or principal). When referring to the tribe, the prefix
ani is added: ani-yun-wi-ya.

Cherokees are the only Native American People who possess a writing system
equivalent to the European alphabet. The Cherokee syllabary is the only alphabet in
history attributed to be the work of one man, George Gist, known to the world as Sequoyah.
Although he did not speak or read the English language, he understood the power of the
written word. After twelve years of dedicated work, Sequoyah finished the Cherokee
syllabary in 1821. He spent the rest of his life teaching his people how to read and spell.

Across the United States, the native peoples are involved in preserving their
aboriginal languages. Unfortunately some of these languages have all ready been lost.
In Qualla and the Cherokee Nation, dedicated Cherokee linguists are working diligently
to ensure the Cherokee language survives.

Increasing numbers of Cherokee descendants are renewing their ties with their
traditions, history and language.With this renewal comes the understanding that their
Cherokee heritage must be preserved and passed on to the next generation.


The Cherokee Syllabray was created by Sequoyah (George Guess)
and finished he finished it in 1829, after 12 years of work.
Sequoyah is credited as the only man in history to create an
alphabet in such manner. His story is one of persistance and perserverance,
as there was obstacles along the way to the creation of this syllabray.
A syallabray is an alphabet where each symbol stands for a syllable.
In Cherokee, there is 85 cymbols, each representing a different syllable and sound.
There are 6 vowels, and s that stands alone. The remaining 78 syllables are
a combination of consonants and vowels. The s is used as a prefix and suffix
without it, 17 more symbols would be needed. There is no sounds for the
English sounds B, F, J, P, R, V, X, or TH.

History of the Cherokee Language Syllabray Table Syllabray Table to Print
Language History Language Lessons Download Audio Syllabary
Miscellaneous Words nouns § verbs § names


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