A syllabary is similar to an alphabet. We know there are several different alphabets, such as the Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, and Russian alphabets. However, some languages have syllabaries, for instance Japanese. A syllabary, instead of just letters, consists of symbols that usually represent a consonant and a vowel (as we have “K” to represent the k sound, Japanese has different symbols for “ka”, “ki”, “ku”, “ke”, “ko” か、き、く、け、こ, in two different syllabaries). The Cherokee syllabary (ᏣᎳᎩ / Tsalagi) works the same way. Here is a chart of the symbols.
We can certainly see on this chart that it was invented due to the fact that there are many Roman letters in the syllabary, even though they don't necessarily correspond to the Roman sound. However, some of the symbols are unique without a doubt! I can say from experience that this system of writing is definitely not the most difficult. In fact, I feel that this would be easy to learn. Perhaps that is how so many Cherokee people were able to learn it quickly, making Sequoyah's innovative writing system such a success.
According to Omniglot website, Sequoyah's descendants claim that he was the last surviving member of his tribe's scribe clan and the Cherokee syllabary was invented by persons unknown at a much earlier date. By 1820 thousands of Cherokees had learned the syllabary. By 1830, 90% were literate in their own language. Books, religious texts, almanacs and newspapers were all published using the syllabary, which was widely used for over 100 years.
Today the syllabary is still used. Efforts are being made to bring back both the Cherokee language and the Cherokee syllabary. Cherokee courses are even offered at a number of schools, colleges and universities.
Also on Omniglot, I found this text:
The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11: 1-9)
ᏣᎳᎩ / Tsalagi (Cherokee)
1. ᎠᎴ ᏒᎳᏂᎬ ᏌᏉᏉ ᎨᏐ ᎠᏂᏬᏂᏍᎬ, ᎠᎴ ᎤᏠᏱᏉ ᎨᏎ ᎠᏂᏁᎬᎢ.
2. ᎯᎠᏃ ᏄᏝᏍᏔᏁᎢ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᎾᎢᏒ ᏗᎧᎸᎬ ᏅᏓᏳᎾᏂᎩᏛ, ᎤᏪᏓᎸ ᎤᏂᏩᏛᏔᏁᎢ ᎾᎿ ᎦᏙᎯ ᏌᎾ ᏚᏙᎥᎢ; ᎠᎴ ᎾᎿ ᏚᎾᏁᎳᏨᎢ.
3. ᎯᎠᏃ ᏂᏚᎾᏓᏪᏎᎴᎢ, Ꭷ, ᏗᏛᏓᏅᎯ ᏗᏙᏢᎾ, ᎠᎴ ᎣᏍᏛ ᏗᏗᏕᏴᏓ. ᏗᏛᏓᏅᎯᏃ ᏅᏍ ᏚᏂᏰᎸ-ᏎᎢ, ᏩᏖᎳᎨᏃ ᏝᏪᏚ ᎤᏂᏰᏎᎢ.
4. ᎯᎠᏃ ᏄᏂᏪᏎᎢ, Ꭷ, ᎢᏗᏚᎲᎦ, ᎠᎴ, ᎢᏅ ᎢᎦᏘ ᎢᏓᏐᏪᎦ, ᎠᎴ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏍᎪᏝ ᎦᎸᎳᏗ ᏫᎦᏃ- ᏠᏨᎭ; ᎠᎴ ᏗᎦᏙᏍᏙᏗ ᎢᏙᏢᎾ, ᏒᎶᎯᏰᏃ ᏂᎬᎾᏛ ᏱᏓᏠᎦᎴᏲᎩ.
5. ᏱᎰᏩᏃ ᎤᏠᎠᏂᎴ ᎤᎦᏔᏂᎴ ᎦᏚᎲ ᎠᎴ ᎢᏅ ᎢᎦᏘ ᎤᎾᏐᏴᎢ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᏴᏫ ᎫᏁᏓ ᎫᎾᏐᏲᎴᎢ.
6. ᏱᎰᏩᏃ ᎯᎠ ᏄᏇᏎᎢ, ᎬᏂᏳᏉ, ᎯᎠ ᏴᏫ ᎤᏂᏠᏱᏉ ᎠᏂᏬᏂᏍᎬᎢ; ᎠᎴ ᎯᎠ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎾᎴᏅᎭ ᎾᎾᏛᏁᎭ; ᎠᎴ ᎥᏝ ᎿᏉ ᎪᎱᏍᏗ ᎬᏩᏂᏲᏍᏙᏓᏁᏗ ᏱᎨᏐᏍᏗ, ᎾᏍᎩ ᎫᎾᏓ-ᏅᏖᎸ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᏗᏱ.
7. Ꭷ, ᎢᏓᏠᎠᎯ, ᎠᎴ ᏣᎿᎫᏓᎴᏅᏛ ᏫᏂᎨᏛᏂᏏ ᎠᏂᏬᏂᏍᎬᎢ,ᎾᏍᎩ ᎫᎾᏙᏝᎢᏗᏱ ᏂᎨᏒᎾ ᏓᎾᏝᏃ-ᎮᏍᎬᎢ.
8. ᎾᏍᎩᏃ ᏱᎰᏩ ᏚᏗᎦᎴᏰ ᏒᎶᎯ ᏥᎬᎾᏛ ᎾᎿᎤᎾᏓᎴᏁᎢ; ᎠᎴ ᎤᏂᏛᏝᎪᎢ ᎠᏂᏚᎲᏍᎬᎢ.
9. ᎾᏍᎩ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᏓᏓᎶᏂ ᏚᏙᏒᎢ; ᏅᏗᎦᏝᏍᏙ-ᏗᏍᎨ ᏱᎰᏩ ᎾᎿ ᏧᏓᎴᏅᏛ ᏂᏚᏩᏁᎸ ᎡᎳᏂᎬ ᏓᏂᏬᏂᏍᎬᎢ; ᎠᎴ ᎾᎿ ᎤᏭᏓᎴᏅ ᏱᎰᏩ ᏚᏗᎦᎴᏴ ᏒᎶᎯ ᏂᎬᎾᏛᎢ.
Transliteration
1. Ale svlanigv saquoquo geso aniwonisgv, ale utloyiquo gese aninegvi.
2. Hiano nutlastanei, nasgi anaisv dikalvgv nvdayunanigidv, uwedalv uniwadvtanei nahna gadohi sana dudovi; ale nahna dunanelatsvi.
3. Hiano nidunadaweselei, ka, didvdanvhi didotlvna, ale osdv didideyvda. Didvdanvhino nvs duniyelv-sei, watelageno tlawedu uniyesei.
4. Hiano nuniwesei, ka, ididuhvga, ale, inv igati idasowega, ale nasgi usgotla galvladi wigano- tlotsvha; ale digadosdodi idotlvna, svlohiyeno nigvnadv yidatlogaleyogi.
5. Yihowano utloanile ugatanile gaduhv ale inv igati unasoyvi, nasgi yvwi guneda gunasoyolei.
6. Yihowano hia nuquesei, gvniyuquo, hia yvwi unitloyiquo aniwonisgvi; ale hia nasgi unalenvha nanadvneha; ale vtla hnaquo gohusdi gvwaniyosdodanedi yigesosdi, nasgi gunada-nvtelv iyunadvnediyi.
7. ka, idatloahi, ale tsahnagudalenvdv winigedvnisi aniwonisgvi,nasgi gunadotlaidiyi nigesvna danatlano-hesgvi.
8. nasgino yihowa dudigaleye svlohi tsigvnadv nahnaunadalenei; ale unidvtlagoi aniduhvsgvi.
9. nasgi iyusdi dadaloni dudosvi; nvdigatlasdo-disge yihowa nahna tsudalenvdv niduwanelv elanigv daniwonisgvi; ale nahna uwudalenv yihowa dudigaleyv svlohi nigvnadvi.
The Cherokee syllabary certainly revolutionized the way the Cherokee nation communicated. They were suddenly able to document their people's history in a more orderly fashion, instead of relying solely on word of mouth
http://www.cherokee.org/Extras/Downloads/syllabary.html
http://www.omniglot.com/writing/cherokee.htm
http://www.omniglot.com/babel/cherokee.htm
It was interesting to see how the Cherokee lexicon looks. I was wondering how Gist would be able to incorporate both Greek and Roman characters as well as create new symbols for the Cherokee lexicon. I am glad to hear that different groups of people are trying to increase awareness of the language through usage. I would definitely be interested in classes that were offered in the Cherokee lexicon. I hope that these organizations will have great success with this project.
ReplyDeleteYou did a very good job going out and gathering information to supplement the text! I am somewhat of a visual learner, too, but even if I weren't it is still interesting to actually see the letters. They do seem like they would be easier to learn coming from our alphabet, than say an Asian alphabet. There are all ready many recognizable letters. Thanks for the additional info!
ReplyDeleteLeigh
I really liked the connection between the Japanese katakana and hiragana. I think that showing that really helps one to understand the difference between an alphabet and a syllabary.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I've never heard the view that Gist was merely propagating an already existing form of written communication, having come from a tribe of scribes. I find that really interesting (especially with his descendants saying this), because I've never heard a conflicting argument like that one. I'd like a chance to research this view more.
Good post!
Tim
Thank you so much for this post. You offer an excellent understanding of my People and our history of creating a bridge of communication with the European colonizers through the creation of a syllabary. Our oral traditions are sacred like so many other ancient cultures. Preserving the practice of teaching, recording, and communicating orally from one generation to another used to be completely relevant prior to the arrival of the Europeans who invaded Turtle Island from across the Atlantic Ocean with a very successful genocide and devastating (and STILL ongoing) terroristic war campaign. We Cherokee adapted very quickly to the orally foretold reality of the inevitable suffering and annihilation of our People. Prior to the Great Genocide, we co-existed with and depended on the other 499 Indigenous Tribes of Turtle Island as we all interrelatedly worked to thrive and develop one of the most advanced systems of integrated and equitable self government while preserving the balance of LIFE. We believed in and created a Democracy that was based in TRUTH, HUMILITY, and HONOR so we could protect the diverse integrity of 500 different Tribal rights and cultural ways among the rich and diverse wildlife and landscape without proliferating War and planetary destruction. I have learned that through our incredible ability to USE language to UNITE and create PEACE and UNDERSTANDING among Tribes, especially warring Tribes, we Cherokee truly distinguished ourselves us as a Turtle Island Tribe. It is regarded as our GIFT. We maintained this GIFT as a mode of survival during and after the Great Genocide. I am ever so grateful for your gift that continues to keep the Cherokee Tribe viable despite the cultural obliteration of our ancient ways. I still BELIEVE that the Sacred Hoop of the inter-connectedness of ALL LIFE is in process of repairing so we all can ONCE AGAIN co-create a Democratic system of JUSTICE and INTEGRITY so language may be USED for TRUTH and UNDERSTANDING among Tribes in CONFLICT and NOT used for terrorism, propaganda, manipulation, and control of others. The desired dominance over all others and all planetary life enables the sickness of mind that tells oneself that we ARE superior and our ways ARE superior, therefore slavery, classism, genocide, misogyny, racism, ageism, ableism, heterosexism, land theft, appropriation of culture and property, invasion of privacy, torture, betrayal, rape, theft, lies, cheating, injustice, treason, murder, abuse, forceful REMOVAL, starvation, impoverishment, Earth scorching, wildlife extinction, poisoning people/animals/plants and the essential elements of water, soil, and air, pilfering, despotism, tyranny, involuntary colonization and countless other sadistic and barbaric insanities used for mass controlling and oppression of the majority of the People by a sick minority of the People for profit and monopolization are justifiable social and leadership practices. In America we have REBRANDED such narcissistic terrorism as a pursuit of what is SOLD as the "American DREAM" that demands that these sick, twisted and deadly practices be handed down from one generation of POST GENOCIDE Americans to another generation of POST GENOCIDE Americans. These unconscionable practices REWARD select individuals with ill-gotten and unearned privilege and positions of generational influence. We CONTINUE this atrocity by participating in KEEPING such a DARK and untenable set of American cultural and HISTORIC behaviors unacknowledged, unaccounted for, and STILL unamended. May our common LANGUAGE become the TOOL of RIGHTING the UN-RIGHTABLE Wrongs of our fateful Nation. Aho! Thank you once again and keep posting!
ReplyDelete