Our intro to the Cherokee language was probably the most unique language learning experience I have ever had. It is the only Native language that has a written form, and it also is not based on any of the languages stemming from the Proto-Indo-Europeans. I am typically horrible at learning new languages; because I’m terrible at it I have never really enjoyed it but I felt differently about learning Cherokee. I think Marsha is right about that first class sparking a desire to learn in all of us, perhaps it was because we all are being so completely immersed in Cherokee culture, and we are spending most of our time around Cherokee people. I feel that learning the language will allow me to connect better with the people I am trying to learn about, so I’m definitely making more of an effort with Cherokee than I ever have with another language. I think all of us would agree that so far knowing what we have learned has made a difference in our interactions with the Cherokee people we meet. Being able to say hello, introduce myself, say thank you, etc. to Cherokee speakers makes me feel more confident in our interactions.
It is strange to hear that Cherokee is close to being a dead language. Efforts like the immersion school and the work of animators Joseph Erb and Roy Boney gives me hope for their language though. I was immensely impressed by Erb and Boney’s presentation. To see all the effort they are putting into keeping the language alive and knowing that companies like Apple are working hard to help them give me confidence that all this effort will pay off.
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