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Cherokee Transcription

The Cherokee language has the continental vowel sounds a, e, i and u, but lacks o, which is replaced by a deep â. The obscure or short û lacks is frequently nasalized, but the nasal sound is seldom heard at the end of a word. The only labial is m, which occurs in probably not more than half a dozen words in the Upper and Middle dialects, and is entirely absent from the Lower dialect, in which w takes its place. The characteristic l of the Upper and Middle dialects becomes r in the Lower, but no dialect has both sounds. There is also an aspirated l; k and t have the ordinary sounds of these letters, but g and d are medials, approximating the sounds of k and t, respectively. A frequent double consonant is ts, commonly rendered ch by the old traders.

a

as in far.

ä

as in what, or obscure as in showman.

â

as in law, all.

d

medial (semisonant), approximating t.

e

as in they

ë

as in net.

g

medial (semisonant), approximating k.

h

as in hat.

i

as in pique.

ï

as in pick.

k

as in kick.

l

as in lull.

`l

surd l (sometimes written hl), nearly the Welsh ll.

m

as in man.

n

as in not.

r

takes the place of l in Lower dialect.

s

as in sin.

t

as in top.

u

as in rule.

û

as in cut.

ûñ

û nasalized

w

as in wit

y

as in you

`

a slight aspirate, sometimes indicating the omission of a vowel.

{Note: the letters with umlauts have a breve in the original.}