Genesis Index & PDF

Noteworthy

-- Cherokee uses "ᎤᏁᎳᏅᎯ" "Unelanvhi"- which means CREATOR-- see Real Meaning of Unelanvhi

I often get asked:

What is ᏦᏩᏃ (Tsowano)? Isn't Joseph just ᏦᏩ?

Many times you will see an "honorific" attached to a name in Cherokee writings. This honorific, the addition of a suffix "-Ꮓ" ["-no"] is important and you will hear it in stories.

It does not just get attached to nouns either. Sometimes, you will see it on other parts of speech.

[example: verse 3 ᏅᎦᏍᎪᎯᏃ nv⁠ga⁠s⁠go⁠hi⁠no and verse 4 ᎿᏉᏃ hnaquono -- see how many others you can spot!]

You should know: although honorifics are not part of the basic grammar of the Cherokee language, they are a fundamental part of the sociolinguistics of Cherokee, and proper use is essential to proficient and appropriate speech. Significantly, referring to oneself using an honorific, or dropping an honorific when it is required, is a serious faux pas, in either case coming across as clumsy or arrogant.