ᎣᏏ ᏒᏃᏱ
osi svnoyi
The English phrase "good night" is expressed in Cherokee as ᎣᏏ ᏒᏃᏱ (osi svnoyi).
This phrase is used as a farewell.
Meaning: a farewell (phrase)
How do you pronounce it?
osi svnoyi
Did you know?
- In written Cherokee, the syllabary used to write ᎣᏏ ᏒᏃᏱ was invented by Sequoyah, making the very script of the phrase a symbol of literacy and independence.
- While ᎣᏏ ᏒᏃᏱ functions as a 'good night' farewell, Cherokee has distinct words for 'good' that change based on whether the object is animate or inanimate.
- The word ᎣᏏ used in 'good night' also means 'healthy' or 'well', reflecting a worldview where 'good' is tied to physical and spiritual wellness rather than just a positive quality.
Examples in context
- ᎣᏏ ᏒᏃᏱ.osi rvnozoyi.Good night.
Example conversation
Two friends are saying goodbye at the end of the evening.
- AᎣᏏ ᏒᏃᏱ, B.osi snoyi, B.Good night, B.
- BᎣᏏ ᏒᏃᏱ, A.osi snoyi, A.Good night, A.
- AᎢᏓᏓᏓᏓᎢ ᎢᏳᎢ.idadada-ida iyui.Let's go home then.
- BᎣᏏ, ᏓᏓᏓᏓᎢ.osi, dadadai.Okay, goodbye.
