USA – Eastern Band and Cherokee Nation translate words into Cherokee

CHEROKEE, N.C. – What should be the Cherokee words for helicopter and purse? These are some words citizens from the Cherokee Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians worked on during the annual Language Revitalization Symposium.

The symposium, held June 18-20, brought together Cherokee speakers and linguists from both tribes to discuss and debate what Cherokee words could be used for a list of English words the groups need translation for.

For example, it was decided tsi-yu a-di-quo-lv-de-yo or “plane that spins” or “a plane that has something on it that spins,” would be used for helicopter and a-de-la di-ga-l(o)-do-di or “where money is put ” would be used for purse.

Gil Jackson, EBCI Language Development supervisor, said the groups meet quarterly to translate English words into Cherokee. In some instances, the tribes use different Cherokee words or sounds for English words, but most of the time they use one translation.

More information at: http://www.cherokeephoenix.org/3831/Article.aspx