AV's Intern Team | February 17, 2016 | 4 Comments
By Elizabeth E. Payne
Cherokee is one of the most difficult languages to learn, according to Barbara Duncan, the education director at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, N.C. But a new language program — “Your Grandmother’s Cherokee” — is changing that.
The program results from the insights of John Standingdeer, Jr., a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. He told the Asheville Citizen-Times that he did not grow up speaking Cherokee and found learning it hard.
According to Duncan, long Cherokee words contain as much information as an English sentence. But then Standingdeer discovered patterns within the words, patterns which Duncan says are “like a math equation.”
Since 2006, Standingdeer and Duncan — with computer-programing help from Duncan’s sister — have spent their free time developing the language program. In October 2015, their method was granted a U.S. patent.
“Your Grandmother’s Cherokee” teaches the language not by memorizing the complicated words, but by recognizing the patterns within them, making Cherokee easier to understand and use.
Duncan estimates that only 200 of the 15,000 members of the Eastern Band grew up speaking their tribal language, and all are over 55 years old. She feels an urgency to study this endangered language, which she stresses is “the original language of the Appalachians.”
A symposium will be held May 29 to June 2 at the University of North Carolina, Asheville, to explore using Standingdeer and Duncan’s method to preserve and teach other indigenous North American languages.
The program currently offers an online dictionary and two levels of coursework, with two additional levels expected soon. For more information visit yourgrandmotherscherokee.com
Like this content? Subscribe to The Voice email digests
The Appalachian Voice is a publication of Appalachian Voices
589 West King Street, Boone, N.C.
© 2021 Appalachian Voices
Member Spotlight: Russ Moxley
Volunteer monitors coal mine data and maintains Appalachian Trail
Creating Positive Change: A Note from Our Executive Director
Solar, Environmental Justice and Utility Reform in Virginia
Miners and advocates travel to Washington to ask legislators to strengthen black lung benefits
Layers of injustice: Community concerns ignored as federal regulators allow Mountain Valley Pipeline to begin operation
A week of action to stop zombie coal mines
A language cannot be saved by singing a few songs or having a word printed on a postage stamp(or poster). It cannot even be saved by getting ‘official status’ for it, or getting it taught in schools. It is saved by its use(no matter how imperfect) by its introduction into every walk of life and at every conceivable opportunity until it becomes a natural thing, or no longer laboured or false. It means, in short, a period of struggle and hardship. There is no easy route to the restoration of a language(Lakotiyapi kin el opa).
Blihe ic’iya yo!
I think it applies to all native languages.
I’m very big gifted in learning languages this would be my biggest challenge in my life as far as learning another language I used to languages without any books just listening to songs and music I speak three fluent languages Polish American English and german I speak a little bit of Spanish but I decided that I would love to learn Native American language since I live on this Land that belongs to them and always Did and it always will !!!!
Where do we find the Cherokee Tsalagi translator?
I’m so glad to see more resources being made available for learning Cherokee! As a student of the language, I know how difficult it can be to find high-quality materials. This program has the potential to make a big difference in the lives of learners and language preservation. Great work Appalachian Voices!