As we tried to follow the Cherokee patterns in the Cherokee language, we kept running into two problems. One was not having the full forms of the words. (We’ll talk about the second problem a little later in the blog—English.)
These sources have provided lists of Cherokee words. We compared words, continually checked our hypotheses about the patterns, and verified our results with fluent speakers among the Eastern Band.
Many people try to teach Cherokee by comparing it to English. This is like using parts from your old Edsel to try to fix your Ferrari. (English being the old Edsel that’s already had parts from different cars rigged up to make it run.
We have asked ourselves this many times, after the patterns of Cherokee became clear. The language seemed so simple, and yet so incredibly beautiful. It was logical and consistent to a degree that scholars today say is impossible.
My dad used to say, water seeks its own level. If you’re lost in the mountains, follow a stream downhill, and it will come to a bigger stream, and will lead you out, because the water finds the best way down the hill. Trails are the same way.
