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.}