you will need the Cherokee font to veiw some parts of this page
I have decided to use the book 'Beginning Cherokee' for this page. The book is by Ruth Bradley Holmes and Betty Sharp Smith. It can be purchased at most bookstores (Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com will be most likely to carry it) for around $30. Be sure to get the tapes also! Do not buy without them! They are said to be very helpful. You can also get the book and tapes from one or either of the authors, but I don't have an address or phone #. I will be working with my friend's mother on a searchable database of these words. I am not sure when it will be ready though. In the meantime, this is what I have for now. It is in no special order, so, you'll have to just look through the whole list. This is only until I can organize them.
Tips on vowel pronunciation: short 'a'= more like 'eh'; short 'o'=like a slight 'aw'; short 'u'=like 'u' in 'but'; short 'i'=like 'i' in 'it'; short 'e'=like 'e' in end; 'v'=like 'u' in 'gun', nazalized(slight 'ng' sound made in back of throat).
Tips on consonant pronunciation:'d,g,h,k,l,m,n,qu,s,t,w,y' just like english. 'g' sometimes sounding like 'k'. 'dl' sounding like 'tl' and vice-versa. 'v' - its a vowel in Cherokee, and I will do my be to try and simulate this sound.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The dialect I am using is the "Western" dialect used by Cherokees west of the Mississippi River. Although, many Kituah (Eastern) speaking Cherokees will be able to understand most words, there are many big differences in many words, and they may or may not be able to understand you. Also: 'TS' pronounced like 'ch' or 'j'; 'DT' like 'd' or 't'
Word..........Pronunciation..........Translation............Syllabary
O'siyo......oh-see-yoh..............Hello...................q&z
Dtohitsu....taw-hee-joo.............How are you?............o@{
dtohiquu....taw-hee-kwoo............I am well...............o@U
Osda(dv)....oh-sda-duhn..............Good/Fine/Very fine.....qClK
Nihinahv....nih-hih-nah-huhn..........And you(rself)?........52hd
Wado........wah-daw.................Thank you...............Vo
Vv..........uhn-uhn.................Yes.....................AA
Tlahv.......kla-huhn................No/Not so...............ZD
Tsilugi.....jee-luh-kee............Welcome................._R!
Donadagohvi...doh-nah-dah-goh-huhv-ee...Goodbye (speaking to one)[literally: Lets see each other again, soon)ohlwD~
Dodadagohvi...doh-dah-dah-goh-huhn-ee...(speaking to many)[literally: Lets see one another again, soon)ollwD~
Osdasunoe...oh-sdah-suh-noh-eh.........Goodnight...............qCly`
Osdasuheyee...oh-sdah-suh-heh-yeh-eh....Good evening..........qCly2\`
Osdasunalei...oh-sdah-suh-nah-leh-ee.....Good morning..........qClyh3~
***more to come later***
Bonus word(s):
kananesga usilidewisv nusda.........kah-nah-neh-sgah oo-sih-lee-deh-wee-suhn nuh-sdah....[roughly translated means] web site nh5CsQ& #8+JYCl
haliheliga hia itse udetiyvda.......hah-lee-heh-lih-gah hee-ah ee-jey uh-deh-tee-yuhn-dah.....Happy New Year (litterally: You are/will be glad this new year) d#2#s @a a< Q8(cl