Metaphor

Written by ᏗᎦᏃᏣᎵ Patrick Del Percio

ᎬᏂᎨᏒ ᎢᏯᏛᏁᎯ – Introduction

The intricacies of metaphor can be seen woven throughout the Cherokee language. Cherokee, being a verb based language, is filled with what in English would be called “metaphor.” However, in Cherokee, metaphor is simply built into the structure of the way people naturally speak. The beauty is in the morphemes that come together to create a vast image of action. Below are some examples of metaphor found throughout various texts written in Cherokee and others are from speakers themselves.

  1. ᎠᏆᏓᏅᏙ ᎭᏫᏂ ᏥᏐᏅᏯᏍᎪᎢ.
    1. aquadando hawini tsisonvysgo’i
    2. ‘I pour my heart [emotions] out.’
    3. The act of pouring your soul out is not physically possible so that’s why this is a great example of metaphor within Cherokee. The verb ᏥᏐᏅᏯᏍᎪᎢ tsisonvysgo’i is also interesting here because the use of it is in reference to pouring something out that is liquid.
  2. ᏘᏙᎵᎩ, ᎣᎩᏙᏓ, ᎤᎵᏏᎬᏉ ᎠᏂᏅ.
    1. tidoligi ogidoda ulsihgvquo ani’nv
    2. ‘Have mercy on them, Father, they sit in the dark.’
  3. ᎩᎬ ᏍᏆᎫᏴᏔᏅᎯ ᏣᏤᎵ ᎬᏅᎢ.
    1. gigv squakuyvtanvhi tsatseli gvnv’i
    2. ‘You paid for me with your blood.’
  4. ᏥᏰᎸ ᏕᎬᏲᎯᏏ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏆᏓᏅᏙ.
    1. tsiyelv degvyohisi ale aquadan[v]do
    2. ‘I give you my body and my heart.’
  5. ᎠᎽᏩᏥᏍᎦᎾᏍᏛ!
    1. amuwatsisganasdv
    2. ‘Sweet water!’

Can you think of any examples of metaphors in Cherokee that you’ve learned? If not, try talking to a speaker to see what examples you can come up with together. List at least two examples below in syllabary, phonetics, and English then give a brief description of why you believe it is a metaphor.

ᏗᏣᎳᎩ:

phonetics:

ᏲᏁᎦ:

ᏗᏣᎳᎩ:

phonetics:

ᏲᏁᎦ:

 

Examples in Contemporary Cherokee Literature

ᎩᎳᏊᏃ ᎢᏴᏓ ᎦᏌᏆᎸ ᎠᏓᏪᎳᎩᏍᎩ ᎠᎳᏍᎦᎸᏗ ᎢᎩᏓ ᏭᎵᏌᎳᏓᏅ ᎦᎸᎶ ᎢᏗᏢ…

kilaquuhno iyvda gasaqualv adawelagisgi alasgahldi ikida wulsaladanv galvlo iditlv

‘Instantly, a ball of fire about the size of a basketball lifted up…’

Metaphor flows throughout the written Cherokee archives. Now, it’s time to do your own research.  The examples below are drawn from various sources within the DAILP collections. Click on the text in read to access the entire document on the DAILP website. Your task in this exercise is to find each of these examples in the story and write down both the phonetic spelling and English translation of the example.

    1. ᎤᏲ ᎠᏍᎦᏂ ᏥᏕᎩᎦᏚᏢᏗᏕᎦ ᎡᎶᎯ ᎢᏕᎥ ᎢᎪᎯᏓ.
      1. phonetics:
      2. ᏲᏁᎦ:
    2.  ᏔᏂᎦᏅᏃ ᏢᏓᏥ ᎩᎦᎨᎢ ᏧᎾᎦᏅᎢ ᏓᏂᎦᎾ.
      1. phonetics:
      2. ᏲᏁᎦ:
    3. ᎾᏋᏃ ᎠᏍᏆᎵᎭ ᏦᎦᎭᏓᏗᏍᏗᎢ.
      1. phonetics:
      2. ᏲᏁᎦ:
    4. ᎠᏏᏋ ᏧᏓᎷᎳ ᏧᎩᏍᏗᎢ.
      1. phonetics:
      2. ᏲᏁᎦ:
    5. ᎪᎩ ᎢᏗᏝ ᏕᏓᎳᏍᎨᎭ.
      1. phonetics:
      2. ᏲᏁᎦ:
    6. ᎠᏴᏃ ᎾᎢ ᎣᏥᎩᎾ ᎨᏒ ᎾᏍᎩᏋ ᏂᎦᎭ ᏥᏙᏥᎦᎾᏋ ᎠᎴ ᏥᏙᏣᎳᏍᎨᎭ.
      1. phonetics:
      2. ᏲᏁᎦ:
    7. ᎤᏩᏥᏍᎦᎸ ᏧᎦᏙᏴᎢᏍᏗᏳ ᎨᏎᎢ.
      1. phonetics:
      2. ᏲᏁᎦ: