ᎰᏩᏧ
howatsu
The Cherokee word for "please" is ᎰᏩᏧ (howatsu).
ᎰᏩᏧ is used as an interjection to make a polite request.
Meaning: interjection to make a polite request (intj)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is howatsu.
Did you know?
- The Cherokee writing system is a syllabary, meaning each character represents a whole syllable rather than a single letter. In ᎰᏩᏧ, each of the three characters represents a distinct sound block.
- The way a speaker requests something in Cherokee is heavily influenced by the relationship between the speaker and the listener. This social hierarchy is often embedded in the verb structure rather than through a separate word for 'please'.
- While ᎰᏩᏧ is used today, Cherokee speakers often use a 'softening' particle at the end of a sentence to make a request polite without using a word for 'please'.
