ᎡᏥ
etsi
The Cherokee word for "mom" is ᎡᏥ (etsi).
ᎡᏥ is used as an informal way to refer to a person's mother.
How do you pronounce it?
etsi
Did you know?
- In Cherokee culture, the concept of 'mother' is often tied to the concept of the 'Beloved Woman', a position of great respect and political influence within the community.
- The Cherokee writing system, used to write ᎡᏥ, was invented by Sequoyah in the 1820s and is a syllabary rather than an alphabet.
- In traditional Cherokee social structures, the role of the mother was central to the matrilineal system where clan membership was passed through the mother.
Example conversation
A child is talking to their mother in the kitchen.
- AᎡᏥ, ᎢᏳᎢ ᎢᏳᎢ!Etsi, iyu-i iyu-i!Mom, over here!
- BᎦᏙ ᎢᏳᎢ?Gado iyu-i?What is it?
- AᎢᏳᎢ ᏓᏓᏓᏙᎵᏍᎩ!Iyu-i dadadolisgi!It is ready!
- BᏓᏓᏓᏙᎵᏍᎩ ᎢᏳᎢ.Dadadolisgi iyu-i.It is ready.
