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Alfabeto Cherokee

Cherokee Syllabary

The Cherokee syllabary was invented by Sequoyah between 1809 and 1821. Each of the 85 characters represents a syllable. Within just a few years of its creation, the majority of Cherokee people had become literate — one of the fastest adoptions of a writing system in recorded history. It is the only script known to have been invented by a person who could not read any other language.

Vowel Syllables

CarácterNombreRomanizaciónPronunciación
ᎠAalike 'a' in 'father'
ᎡEelike 'e' in 'they'
ᎢIilike 'ee' in 'meet'
ᎣOolike 'o' in 'go'
ᎤUulike 'oo' in 'moon'
ᎥVvlike 'u' in 'but' (nasalized)

GA / HA Series

CarácterNombreRomanizaciónPronunciación
ᎦGagalike 'ga' in 'garden'
ᎨGegelike 'gay'
ᎩGigilike 'gee'
ᎪGogolike 'go'
ᎫGugulike 'goo'
ᎬGvgvlike 'guh' (nasalized)
ᎭHahalike 'ha'
ᎮHehelike 'hey'
ᎯHihilike 'hee'
ᎰHoholike 'ho'
ᎱHuhulike 'hoo'
ᎲHvhvlike 'huh' (nasalized)

LA / NA / SA Series

CarácterNombreRomanizaciónPronunciación
ᎳLalalike 'la'
ᎴLelelike 'lay'
ᎵLililike 'lee'
ᎶLololike 'lo'
ᎾNanalike 'na'
ᏁNenelike 'nay'
ᏂNinilike 'nee'
ᏃNonolike 'no'
ᏌSasalike 'sa'
ᏎSeselike 'say'
ᏏSisilike 'see'
ᏐSosolike 'so'

DA / WA / YA Series

CarácterNombreRomanizaciónPronunciación
ᏓDada / talike 'da'
ᏕDede / telike 'day'
ᏗDidi / tilike 'dee'
ᏙDodolike 'doe'
ᏩWawalike 'wa'
ᏪWewelike 'way'
ᏫWiwilike 'wee'
ᏬWowolike 'woe'
ᏯYayalike 'ya' in 'yard'
ᏰYeyelike 'yay'
ᏱYiyilike 'yee'
ᏲYoyolike 'yo'