ᏌᎶᎵ
saloli
The Cherokee word for squirrel is ᏌᎶᎵ (saloli). Wiktionary also lists ᏌᎳᎵ (salali).
Meaning: rodent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cherokee | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| ᏌᎶᎵ | saloli |
| ᏌᎳᎵ | salali |
Which one should you use?
The two available forms are ᏌᎳᎵ (salali) and ᏌᎶᎵ (saloli).
How do you pronounce it?
saloli
Did you know?
- Because Cherokee is a polysynthetic language, a single word built around ᏌᎶᎵ can express an entire English sentence like 'I am looking for a squirrel'.
- In Cherokee traditional stories, the ᏌᎶᎵ is often portrayed as a trickster or a clever character, mirroring the way some cultures treat the raven or coyote.
- The syllabary used to write ᏌᎶᎵ was invented by Sequoyah, meaning the very shapes of the letters used to spell 'squirrel' are part of a unique linguistic revolution.
Examples in context
- ᏔᎵᏦᏁ ᎬᏗ ᏥᏲᎸ ᏌᎶᎵ.I shot a squirrel with a .22 rifle.This sentence illustrates the use of ᏌᎶᎵ in the context of hunting.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at a tree in the backyard.
- AᏌᎶᎵ ᎪᏙᏓᎵ.Salo li godali.There is a squirrel.
- BᏓᏓᏩᏙᎢ ᎪᏢᎢ?Dada-wado-i gotp-i?Is it in the tree?
- Ahena, ᏌᎶᎵ ᏓᏓᏄᎾ.Hena, salo li dada-duna.Yes, the squirrel is jumping.
- BᎦᏓᏓᏂᏓᏓᏓᎸ.Gadadanidada-lv.It is very cute.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “squirrel” translations and entries ᏌᎶᎵ, ᏌᎳᎵ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
