GLOSSARY OF CHEROKEE WORDS
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Mooney, James
The Cherokee language has the continental vowel sounds a, e, i, and u, but lacks o, which is replaced by a deep â. The obscure or short û is frequently nasalized, but the nasal sound is seldom heard at the end of a word. The only labial is m, which occurs in probably not more than half a dozen words in the Upper and Middle dialects, and is entirely absent from the Lower dialect, in which w takes its place. The characteristic l of the Upper and Middle dialects becomes r in the Lower, but no dialect has both sounds. There is also an aspirated l; k and t have the ordinary sounds of these letters, but g and d are medials, approximating the sounds of k and t, respectively. A frequent double consonant is ts, commonly rendered ch by the old traders (see p. 188, “Dialects”).
as in far.
as in what, or obscure as in showman.
as in law, all.
medial (semisonant), approximating t.
as in they.
as in net.
medial (semisonant), approximating k.
as in hat.
as in pique.
as in pick.
as in kick.
as in lull.
ʻl
surd l (sometimes written hl), nearly the Welsh ll.
as in man.
as in not.
takes place of l in Lower dialect.
as in sin.
as in top.
as in rule.