ᏳᏁᎬ
yvnegv
The Cherokee phrase for "white person" is ᏳᏁᎬ (yvnegv).
This phrase refers to a person with light skin, typically of European descent.
How do you pronounce it?
yvnegv
Did you know?
- The written form ᏳᏁᎬ uses a script invented by Sequoyah, which was created without the speaker ever having learned a Western alphabet.
- In traditional Cherokee thought, the color white is associated with the cardinal direction east and the concept of peace.
- The word ᏳᏁᎬ is part of a larger linguistic family called Iroquoian, which is entirely unrelated to any European language.
Example conversation
Two friends are describing someone they saw in town.
- AᏳᏁᎬ ᎢᏳᏓᏛᏓᏁᎢ ᎢᏳᏓᏛᏓᏁᎢ.yunegv iyudadavdanai iyudadavdanai.Was it a white person?
- BᎰᎵ, ᏳᏁᎬ ᎢᏳᏓᏛᏓᏁᎢ.holi, yunegv iyudadavdanai.Yes, it was a white person.
- AᎢᏳᏓᏛᏓᏁᎢ ᎦᏙ ᎢᏳᏓᏛᏓᏁᎢ?iyudadavdanai gado iyudadavdanai?What was that person doing?
- BᎢᏳᏓᏛᏓᏁᎢ ᏓᏛᏓᏁᎢ ᎢᏳᏓᏛᏓᏁᎢ.iyudadavdanai dadavdanai iyudadavdanai.The person was just walking.
