Now You Can 'Google It' In Cherokee

NewsOn6.com

TALEhQUAH, Oklahoma -- You can now "Google it in Cherokee," as the famed search engine adds the Cherokee written language to its repertoire of searchable languages.

Cherokee Nation translators worked side by side with Google employees to work through all the challenges of adding Cherokee Syllabary to the leading Internet technology provider.

"I believe that efforts like those of Google are essential to keeping our language alive," said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chad Smith.

"We have been working hard to get our young people interested in learning our Native tongue but we cannot be successful unless they can read and write in the medium of their era – all the digital devices that are currently so popular."

The Cherokee Nation has used several methods to keep its language vital in the last decade including free language classes, a youth choir that sings in Cherokee, student language bowl competitions, a Cherokee degree program at Northeastern State University and a language immersion school that has grown every year, which is now up to fifth grade.

"Translators from Cherokee Nation were eager to volunteer to help make this project a reality, including Cherokee speaking staff, community members and youth," said Cherokee Nation Language Technologist Joseph Erb.

"We now have the power and knowledge of the Internet accessible in our own language."

Click here for Google's blog post to see how to use the Google Cherokee search engine.