Topic outline

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  General

  • News forum
  • John "Bullet" Standingdeer URL

    John "Bullet" Standingdeer, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, talks about this new way of understanding and learning Cherokee.

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  Topic 1

  • WHO is doing the action. File

    To begin we will look at WHO is doing the action.  To make this simple and easy, we follow the Cherokee patterns.  We do not make comparisons to linguistic categories or English grammar because these are confusing.  The Cherokee patterns are logical and consistent. 

  • Games and Quizlets for WHO URL

    Games to play and short quizes to help you practice the 10 persons WHO do the action.

  • The Sounds of Cherokee File

    Cherokee uses six vowels: a, e, i, o , u and v.  The sounds of these are extremely consistent in the language. Learn these now and you will use them over and over again.  Our key to pronunciation comes from the syllabary chart of 1828, and is the most commonly used system of writing Cherokee language. 

  • Syllables of Cherokee File
  • Dialogue Intro 1: Bear and Rabbit Introduce Themselves URL
  • Vocab for GO File
  • Games and Quizlets for GO - present URL

    Games to play and short quizes to help you practice making the words for GO in the present.

  • Student Worksheet GO present File

    Fill in the blanks on the worksheet, using the list of WHO is doing the action, and following the pattern of the word.  If you make a mistake, the box will turn red.  In the far right column, break the word into syllables for pronunciation.  Use "The Syllables of Cherokee" or the standard syllabary chart for reference.  

  • Bear and Rabbit GO SOMEWHERE URL

    Learn how to talk about going somewhere in Cherokee language.  Repeat after Bear and Rabbit.  

  • CULTURAL: Cherokee Places to GO File

    Click on a map icon to learn more about these Cherokee places.

    Note: it may take a minute to load all the map data.

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  Topic 2

  • Student Worksheet HELP present File

    Fill in the blanks on the worksheet, using the list of WHO is doing the action, and following the pattern of the word.  If you make a mistake, the box will turn red.  In the far left column, break the word into syllables for pronunciation.  Use "The Syllables of Cherokee" or the standard syllabary chart for reference.  

    This worksheet gives you the simple forms for HELP, in the present.  "I am helping," for example.  

  • WHO is doing the action PART 2 File

    WHO is doing the action to WHOM.  Cherokee language allows you to say WHO is doing the action to someone else.  

    For example,  I am helping you = gvyasdeliha.  (The syllable ya is barely heard in the common pronunciation.)

  • Dialogue: Bear and Rabbit HELP EACH OTHER URL

    Repeat after Bear and Rabbit.  This dialogue uses word/sentences about HELPING, in the present, and as a command.  It also makes word/sentences about helping other people:  You help me!  I am helping you, and so on.  

  • Dialogue: Bear and Rabbit are HUNGRY URL

    Learn how to talk about being hungry and wanting something by repeating after Bear and Rabbit.  Narrated by June Stamper Smith, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.