Overview
Arrow pointing down

Community Members

    No members

Revitalization Programs

No programs

Discussion Forum

    Comments are not currently available for this post.

Language Information By Source

Personal Communication on Cherokee
Arrow pointing down
Threatened

Native Speakers Worldwide

2100

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

For decades, there was not an accurate number of Cherokee speakers. The 16,000 estimate came from a survey done back in the 1960s, and for decades it was never updated. Back in the early 2000s, an informal phone survey was done by Cherokee Nation in which about 10,000 people self identified as Cherokee speakers, but there was no way to confirm level of fluency. So starting last year, the Cherokee Language Program at Cherokee Nation started a project to identify all of our first language Cherokee speakers. So far, we have identified around 2,100 first language speakers left at the moment, and all are verified as fluent first language Cherokee speakers. That includes all three federally recognized tribes: Cherokee Nation, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. This number is the most recent, and most accurate, count. We are continually losing speakers as they pass away.

Year of info

2019

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

11,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

2010

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

36.7544,-98.3569

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

11,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

132,000

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

In addition, an undetermined, but relatively high, percentage of the 7500 members of the United Keetoowah Band of Oklahoma and Arkansas are speakers of the Oklahoma variety.

Year of info

2007

Location and Context

Countries

Oklahoma and North Carolina

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

Traditional Syllabic orthography

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

Regularly taught at the University of Oklahoma and at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah. Adult classes are held in a number of locations.

No data

Native Speakers Worldwide

No data

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

2010

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

35.113,-84.0588; 36.7544,-98.3569

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

16,400

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

308,132

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

Data for the number of native speakers comes from the 2000 census. There are 130 monolinguals. "14,000 on Oklahoma rolls (1986 D. Feeling), 1,000 in North Carolina (1997 R. Sabino)." Data for the ethnic population is from the 1990 census, and includes "70,000 on Oklahoma rolls (1986 D. Feeling), 9,800 in Eastern Band (1997 R. Sabino)."

Year of info

2009

Location and Context

Countries

USA;

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

English

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Endangered

Native Speakers Worldwide

10,400

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

140,000

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma: 10,000 of the 122,000 member. Eastern Band of Cherokees in North Carolina: 1000 of the 10,000. United Keetoowah Band of Oklahoma and Arkansas: by a high percentage of 7500 members (Golla 2007).

Year of info

2016

Location and Context

Countries

USA: Oklahoma, North Carolina

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

~16,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

139,500

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

Spoken by up to 10,000 of the more than 122,000 members of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, by about 1,000 of the approximately 10,000 members of the Eastern Band of Cherokees in North Carolina, and by an undetermined — but relatively high — percentage of the 7500 members of the United Keetoowah Band of Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Year of info

2008

Location and Context

Countries

North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arkansas

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

No data

Native Speakers Worldwide

No data

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program (CLMAP) has graduated about 10 speakers, with 16 more in the coming year.

Year of info

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

No data

Native Speakers Worldwide

No data

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

2005

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

35.5,-83.5

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Vulnerable

Native Speakers Worldwide

20,000

Domains of Use

No data

Speaker Number Trends

No data

Transmission

No data

Speakers

Second-language speakers and learners

No data

Semi-speakers

No data

Child speakers

No data

Young adult speakers

No data

Older adult speakers

No data

Elder Speakers

No data

Ethnic Population

No data

Non-monolingual speakers

No data

More about speakers

No data

Year of info

Location and Context

Countries

No data

Coordinates

No data

Location description

No data

Government support

No data

Institutional support

No data

Speakers' attitudes

No data

Standard orthography

No data

Script (Writing system)

No data

Other writing systems

No data

More on writing systems

No data

Other languages used

No data

Domains of other languages

No data

More on context

No data

Media Resources

No resources

Filter By

No programs

  1. Cherokee
    Walker, Willard. 1975. "Cherokee." In Studies in Southeastern Indian Languages, edited by James M. Crawford. 189-236. Athens: University of Georgia Press.
  2. Collaborative Documentation and Revitalization of Cherokee Tone
    http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/24630
  3. Cherokee-English Dictionary
    Feeling, Durbin. 1975. "Cherokee-English Dictionary." Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and Heritage Printing.
  4. Where have all the adjectives come from? The case of Cherokee
    Lindsey, G. and J. Scancarelli. 1985. "Where Have All the Adjectives Come From? The Case of Cherokee." In Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Berkely Linguistic Society, 11: 207-215.
  5. Cherokee Verb morphology 3
    Reyburn, William D. 1954. "Cherokee Verb Morphology 3." In International Journal of American Linguistics, 20: 44-64.
  6. Grammatical Relations and Verb Agreement in Cherokee
    Scancarelli, Janine. 1987. "Grammatical Relations and Verb Agreement in Cherokee."
  7. Pragmatic roles in Cherokee Grammar
    Scancarelli, Janine. 1986. "Pragmatic Roles in Cherokee Grammar." In Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society, 12: 224-234. University of California Press.
  8. Beginning Cherokee
    Holmes, Ruth Bradley and Betty Sharp Smith. 1976. "Beginning Cherokee." University of Oklahoma Press.
  9. Phonological Variation in Western Cherokee
    Foley, Lawrence. 1980. "Phonological Variation in Western Cherokee." 3: Garland Publishing, Inc..
  10. Cherokee
    Walker, Willard. 1975. "Cherokee." In Studies in southestern Indian Languages, edited by James M. Crawford. 189-236. University of Georgia Press.
  11. A Grammar of North Carolina Cherokee
    Cook, William H. 1979. "A Grammar of North Carolina Cherokee."
  12. The Phonemes of North Carolina Cherokee
    Bender, E. and Z. S. Harris. 1946. "The Phonemes of North Carolina Cherokee." In International Journal of American Linguistics, 12 , no. 1: 14-21.
  13. Endangered Languages Catalogue Project. Compiled by research teams at University of Hawai'i Mānoa and Institute for Language Information and Technology (LINGUIST List) at Eastern Michigan University
    2012. "Endangered Languages Catalogue Project. Compiled By Research Teams At University of Hawai'i Mānoa and Institute For Language Information and Technology (LINGUIST List) At Eastern Michigan University."
  14. Cherokee
    Scancarelli, Janine. 2005. "Cherokee." In Native languages of the Southeastern United States, edited by Heather Kay Hardy and Janine Scancarelli. 351-384. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
  15. A Reference Grammar of Oklahoma Cherokee
    Montgomery-Anderson, Brad. A Reference Grammar of Oklahoma Cherokee. PhD thesis, University of Kansas, 2008.
  16. Beginning Cherokee
    Holmes, Ruth Bradley and Betty Sharp Smith. 1977. "Beginning Cherokee." Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.
  17. A Grammar of North Carolina Cherokee
    Cook, William H. A Grammar of North Carolina Cherokee. PhD thesis, Yale University, 1979.
  18. The World Atlas of Language Structures
    2005. "The World Atlas of Language Structures." edited by Bernard Comrie et al. Oxford University Press.
  19. World Oral Literature Project
    "World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.
    http://www.oralliterature.org
  20. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)
    Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)
    http://www.ethnologue.com/
  21. North America
    Victor Golla, Ives Goddard, Lyle Campbell, Marianne Mithun and Mauricio Mixco. 2008. "North America." In Atlas of the World's Languages, edited by Chris Moseley and Ron Asher. 7-41. Routledge.
  22. Endangered Languages of the United States
    Christopher Rogers, Naomi Palosaari and Lyle Campbell. 2010. "Endangered Languages of the United States." In Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing, edited by Christopher Moseley. 108-130. UNESCO.
  23. Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages
    Moseley, Christopher. 2007. Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, 1 edn. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 070071197X
  24. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger
    Moseley, Christopher (ed.). 2010. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 3rd edn. http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas. (03 June, 2011.)
    http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas