learn cherokee

I learned how to read and write it and I have a really really basic conversational ability. I know a lot of vocabulary but the way to conjugate a polysynthetic language is really confusing. Even Mandarin is easier!

i want to learn this so i can connect with my ancestors

i want greatly to learn the Cherokee (tsa-la-gi) language. A good portion of my acquaintances are Native American.

My youngest son and I started learning Cherokee a few years ago but haven’t practiced it much. Now my brother is learning and tries talking to me but I’ve forgotten what I learned so want to start over (I don’t want to be the only dummy in the family).

I was going to be a Spanish teacher-have had three years of Spanish-but would much rather learn the language of my ancestors.

I just got this in my email:

“Osiyo,
Registration for the Online Cherokee Language Class is now open!
Classes begin on April 7 2008 and run through June 13 2008. Don’t miss
this opportunity to start learning the Cherokee Language.

Classes offered include:

Reminder: the following times are in Central Standard Time (CST).

Cherokee I
- Monday – Wednesday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Monday – Wednesday 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
- Monday – Wednesday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday – Thursday 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Tuesday – Thursday 8:00 AM – MIDNIGHT (Pre-Recorded)

Cherokee II
- Monday – Wednesday 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
- Monday – Wednesday 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
- Tuesday – Thursday 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
- Tuesday – Thursday 8:00 AM – MIDNIGHT (Pre-Recorded)

Cherokee III
- Monday – Wednesday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Tuesday – Thursday 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
- Tuesday – Thursday 8:00 AM – MIDNIGHT (Pre-Recorded)

To register for one of these classes please visit our website at:
http://www.cherokee.org/siteregistration/

Don’t forget to check your computer requirements please visit our
preflight test page at:
http://cnconnect.cherokee.org/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm

Reminder: Your username / login name is the email address you supplied
when you registered on the Cherokee.org web site.

Wado!
cherokee.org web site staff
webmaster@cherokee.org
CherokeeLink@cherokee.org”

Osiyo!

It’s that time of year again….
Registration for the Online Cherokee Language Classes (I, II, III)
begins on March 24 2008, classes begin on April 7 2008. Do not forget that you must first register with the Cherokee.org web site in order to register for class. For the schedule of classes and to register please visit:
http://www.cherokee.org/SiteRegistration/CourseOutline.aspx

for 2008 I am limiting myself to five goals. This one is one of the ones I would like to do at a future date but am not going to focus on this year

I decided to start using flashcards to help me learn Cherokee, and I found a place on the internet that allowed me to make electronic flashcards for that purpose. However, without a paid account, I can’t print them out. I can use them and share them online however, and if I want an offline version- or a version with pictures (also requiring a paid account)- I can simply make them myself using some index cards. I’ve been caught up in school, groups, etc. so I haven’t given this the needed time, but I’ve still not given up on it and I’ve picked up some new words. I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but I purchased a book to help me learn Cherokee, as well. I’m also trying to learn the syllabary in Cherokee. So far, I know 11 of the symbols.

I keep saying, I’m slacking, I need to start back. Well, I still haven’t added anything new. I had other stuff on my mind and other stuff to do, but today I have been working on learning how to tell someone what time it is. I am not positive if I know how to say anything other than when it is on the hour. I don’t know for sure how to add the minutes to the hour, but at least I can say “the time is _ o’clock.” I am workin on 11, and can recall it at the moment, but need to learn 12. I know 1-10. I am also learning the word “what” and the words to refer to “I am doing/I do,” “you are doing/you do,” and “she/he is doing” or “she/he does.” I can put these with “what” to ask “What am I doing?,” “What are you doing?,” and “What is he/she doing?”

I can’t let myself quit again now or I’ll do what I did before. I’ll stop trying to learn this for months or years before returning to studying it, then barely get restarted before I quit again. I don’t want that to happen. Okay, today I need to review everything and learn something new.

Right now I can say this-

1. Jesus (Basically the same word except they pronounce and spell it differently)
2. Cherokee (two ways, counting their pronunciation of the word and the way that means The Principle People)
3. Hello
4. How are you?
5. And you? (can say this two, very similar ways)
6. Good
7. Fine
8. Okay
9. Not Good (really, maybe I shouldn’t count this as a seperate thing, since it is a combo of not and good, and with good night and good morning, I didn’t count them as seperate since they are combinations of words I already have listed)
10. Bad
11. No/Not
12. Yes
13. This is _
14. Mother
15. My Mother
16. Small/Little
17. Dog
18. Fire
19. How
20. Sun/Moon
21. Dweller
22. Day
23. Night (Good Night, also by combining the Good and Night)
24. Is Out
25. Thank you
26. Ouch
27. I love you
28. My name is __/___is my name (say this two diff. ways)
29. Please
30. Earth
31. Goodbye
32. You’re Welcome
33. Trail of Tears
34. Morning (Good Morning also by combining the Good and Morning)
35. One (can say this a couple ways)
36. Two
37. Three
38. Four
39. Five
40. Six
41. Seven
42. Eight (say this two ways)
43. Nine
44. Ten
45. Full
46. And
47. Apricot
48. Locust
49. Hair (can say this two different ways)
50. Are you Cherokee?
51. Baby (very similar to the small/little one, so not sure if I’m saying it quite right)
52. Infant/Child
53. Penis (I can spell it, but dunno how to pronounce it. See the Penis, Thank you post)
54. People (Cherokee referring to themselves and also to other people)
55. I want
56. Help

Words for today, coming up.