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Eastern Band and Cherokee Nation translate words into Cherokee. «The symposium, held June 18-20, brought together Cherokee speakers and linguists from both tribes to discuss and debate what Cherokee words could be used for a list of English words the groups need translation for. For example, it was decided tsi-yu a-di-quo-lv-de-yo or “plane that spins†or “a plane that has something on it that spins,†would be used for helicopter and a-de-la di-ga-l(o)-do-di or “where money is put †would be used for purse. »
My workplace is 3 blocks from one of the locations of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.
NMAI
They have an extensive library including language reference materials. I will try to stop by over the next day or so to help satisfy your craving.
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I found a credible online resource to provide you a tidbit:
The language of the Cherokee (Tsalagi) uses its own writing symbols (syllabary alphabet).
“Computer†is transcribed e-li-s (Three letters in the Tsalagi syllabary)
IF you have Cherokee character support on your browser it is: ᎡᎵᏍ — (Unicode: U-5025 U-5045 U-5069)
The phonetics are like /ay-lee-s/ (not a /z/ on the end).
Here's another great language resource I often use:
Omniglot
Cherokee at Omniglot
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Another source has a much longer word for computer. It appears that “elis†is merely a root for “think.†Here's a link that offers another word, transliterated as “a ga do hv sv a s qua na go di s giâ€:
Computer in Cherokee
So far I have no information on the word formation of this word, which is, after all, the really interesting part of the whole discussion. Perhaps tomorrow in lieu of lunch, a trip to the NMAI will clear this all up.
The resource library was closed stack. Most of the materials I got were from the early 1970s and had no mention of computers. However, I did learn that agglutinated verbal phrases are a very, very common phenomenon in Cherokee nouns, having nothing to do with modernity or technology. I bought a textbook on beginning Cherokee, so give me a few weeks (or months) and I might know enough to work out the word formation of the word.
The woman who sold me the textbook watched me as I approached and asked me if I knew Cherokee. When I said no, she warned me that it was very difficult. She relaxed a bit when I told her I hold a degree in Linguistics.
How charming that she was concerned that I was making a foolish purchase.
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
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