ABSTRACT
Language revitalization focuses on the re-creation of a speech community. For some communities, however, language revitalization also entails increased use of a traditional writing system. The Cherokee Syllabary is the best-known example of a Native American writing system in the United States. Created in the 1820s, this system of 85 syllabic characters has been used to create a vast amount of printed and handwritten material. This chapter is divided into three parts. The first part describes the origin and development of the Cherokee Syllabary and includes a discussion of the decline of syllabic literacy in the 20th century. The second section describes the syllabary from a linguistic perspective. The third section focuses on current uses of the syllabary in three settings in Tahlequah, Oklahoma: the degree program at Northeastern State University, the immersion school, and the Master-Apprentice program.
