ᎰᏩ
howa
The Cherokee word for the interjection "okay" is ᎰᏩ (howa).
Meaning: OK (intj)
How do you pronounce it?
howa
Did you know?
- Writing ᎰᏩ requires using a script that was developed in the 1820s, making it one of the few instances where a community created its own writing system from scratch.
- While 'okay' in English is often a neutral response, the social weight of an affirmation in Cherokee can depend heavily on the seniority of the person you are speaking to.
- Cherokee uses a unique syllabary created by Sequoyah, meaning the characters in ᎰᏩ represent full syllables rather than individual letters.
Examples in context
- ᎰᏩ.howa.Okay.
Example conversation
A and B are planning to leave for the store.
- AᎢᏓᎢᏓ ᏓᏓᏂᏓᏓᏓᏅᏓ.idai dadanidadanvda.Let's go look for it.
- BᎰᏩ, ᎢᏓᎢᏓ.howa, idai.Okay, let's go.
- AᎭᏓᏩᏛᏓ?hadawadvda?Did you find it?
- BᎰᏩ, ᎭᏓᏩᏛᏓ.howa, hadawadvda.Okay, I found it.
