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Cherokee (Unicode block)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 24.86.141.129 (talk) at 10:19, 28 January 2017 (→Unicode implementation of Sequoyah and Child in Unicode block (s)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Cherokee
RangeU+13A0..U+13FF
(96 code points)
PlaneBMP
ScriptsCherokee
Major alphabetsCherokee
Assigned92 code points
Unused4 reserved code points
Unicode version history
3.0 (1999)85 (+85)
8.0 (2015)92 (+7)
Unicode documentation
Code chart ∣ Web page
Note: [1][2]

When Cherokee was first added to Unicode in version 3.0 it was treated as a unicameral alphabet, but in version 8.0 it was redefined as a bicameral script.

Sequoyah and Supplement syllabary

The Unicode block Cherokee Range: 13A0–13FF [ref] contains all traditional (1824) large syllabary glyphs plus six small syllabary glyphs.
The Unicode block Cherokee Supplement Range: AB70–ABBF [ref] contains the more recent (1947) small syllabary glyphs.

Unicode Cherokee Sequoyah and Child syllabary explained...

Unicode deployment of Cherokee language involves 2 code blocks. The first code block contains glyphs from the second code block, so the second Unicode Range is an incomplete block. Unicode naming of the 2 blocks is as Cherokee and Cherokee Supplement. To clarify, for Cherokee writers and speakers, in a cultural context the use of 2 code block Ranges can be understood as follows.

In the Cherokee, or herein Cherokee Sequoyah Range, the traditional Chief Sequoyah syllabary glyphs are larger, but otherwise identical to the smaller Cherokee Supplement, or herein Cherokee Child Range syllabary glyphs, in shape and form. Latin vs. Cherokee comparison of written language is important. Sequoyah and Child, uppercase and lowercase Cherokee describe different linguistic conventions and cultures than uppercase and lowercase in Latin languages.

Latin case refers to languages that traditionally use letter-based glyphs (each letter a typically meaningless character supplying meaning to character collections), to distinguish lead and naming capitals. That is, each Latin letter character commonly represents a multi-syllabic logical assembly that combines uppercase and lowercase letters to form collections as words and sentences.

Cherokee case refers to languages that use syllable-based glyphs (each glyph a syllabic sound), to distinguish traditional vs. contemporaneous meaning. Sequoyah and Child are not formally arranged in any particular order. Large Sequoyah glyph would connote tranditional importance. Small Child glyph would be applied to contemporaneous words and sentences. Cherokee Sequoyah and Child syllables form collections of words and sentences

Some modern Cherokee writers may arrange Sequoyah and Child in a Latin-like 'uppercase-lowercase' format, but that truecasing is not recognized (nor discouraged) as a necessary arrangement of Tsalagi syllables, by traditional Cherokee language teachers (2016) (see References, Cherokee Nation). Uppercase (large) and lowercase (small) Cherokee syllables (as in Latin letters) are interchangeable in their respective uses.

Cherokee Range: 13A0–13FF

S/b Cherokee Sequoyah Range: 13A0–13FF

Cherokee[1][2]
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
U+13Ax Ꭰ Ꭱ Ꭲ Ꭳ Ꭴ Ꭵ Ꭶ Ꭷ Ꭸ Ꭹ Ꭺ Ꭻ Ꭼ Ꭽ Ꭾ Ꭿ
U+13Bx Ꮀ Ꮁ Ꮂ Ꮃ Ꮄ Ꮅ Ꮆ Ꮇ Ꮈ Ꮉ Ꮊ Ꮋ Ꮌ Ꮍ Ꮎ Ꮏ
U+13Cx Ꮐ Ꮑ Ꮒ Ꮓ Ꮔ Ꮕ Ꮖ Ꮗ Ꮘ Ꮙ Ꮚ Ꮛ Ꮜ Ꮝ Ꮞ Ꮟ
U+13Dx Ꮠ Ꮡ Ꮢ Ꮣ Ꮤ Ꮥ Ꮦ Ꮧ Ꮨ Ꮩ Ꮪ Ꮫ Ꮬ Ꮭ Ꮮ Ꮯ
U+13Ex Ꮰ Ꮱ Ꮲ Ꮳ Ꮴ Ꮵ Ꮶ Ꮷ Ꮸ Ꮹ Ꮺ Ꮻ Ꮼ Ꮽ Ꮾ Ꮿ
U+13Fx Ᏸ Ᏹ Ᏺ Ᏻ Ᏼ Ᏽ ᏸ ᏹ ᏺ ᏻ ᏼ ᏽ
Notes
1.^ As of Unicode version 16.0
2.^ Grey areas indicate non-assigned code points

Cherokee Supplement Range: AB70–ABBF

S/b Cherokee Child Range: AB70–ABCF.

Note that the last six Small glyphs of the Cherokee (Sequoyah) Range: 13A0–13FF 'complete' the Glyphs for Cherokee (Child) Supplement Range: AB70–ABBF.

Cherokee Supplement[1]
Official Unicode Consortium code chart (PDF)
  0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D E F
U+AB7x ꭰ ꭱ ꭲ ꭳ ꭴ ꭵ ꭶ ꭷ ꭸ ꭹ ꭺ ꭻ ꭼ ꭽ ꭾ ꭿ
U+AB8x ꮀ ꮁ ꮂ ꮃ ꮄ ꮅ ꮆ ꮇ ꮈ ꮉ ꮊ ꮋ ꮌ ꮍ ꮎ ꮏ
U+AB9x ꮐ ꮑ ꮒ ꮓ ꮔ ꮕ ꮖ ꮗ ꮘ ꮙ ꮚ ꮛ ꮜ ꮝ ꮞ ꮟ
U+ABAx ꮠ ꮡ ꮢ ꮣ ꮤ ꮥ ꮦ ꮧ ꮨ ꮩ ꮪ ꮫ ꮬ ꮭ ꮮ ꮯ
U+ABBx ꮰ ꮱ ꮲ ꮳ ꮴ ꮵ ꮶ ꮷ ꮸ ꮹ ꮺ ꮻ ꮼ ꮽ ꮾ ꮿ
Notes
1.^ As of Unicode version 16.0

Unicode implementation of Sequoyah and Child in Unicode block (s)

Keyboard accessibility to Cherokee 86-glyph uppercase and Cherokee Supplement 86-glyph lowercase is essential, yet challenged by present dislocation of the lowercase distribution, requiring Unicode normalization. Presently, Cherokee Child Range is providing placeholder service for the Cherokee lowercase symbols, not yet complete in the Cherokee Sequoyah Range. This Unicode implementation section is a consideration of Unicode integration of uppercase and lowercase in the Unicode system so as to simplify keyboard access (presently available only for uppercase), and to enable code normalization of contiguous Unicode blocks for Cherokee uppercase and lowercase.

Unicode version 9.0 hangs the last 6 syllables of Cherokee Supplement block onto the close of Cherokee block, a Unicode technical issue. For accessibility, continuity, logical purposes, it would be useful if the six lowercase glyphs in Cherokee Range: 13A0–13FF) were transferred/added to close the Cherokee Supplement Range: AB70–ABBF, to reset that range as Cherokee Child Range: AB70–ABCF, attached to reset Cherokee Sequoyah Range: 13A0–13FF. Having corrected the two isolated code blocks, block integration could follow.

Reset is essential to keyboard accessibility and implementation of correctly organized and unified Sequoyah and Child syllables (normalization). Thus, attending keyboard accessibility, the Unicode Consortium would merge existing Cherokee and Cherokee Supplement Unicode blocks, in a Cherokee Sequoyah Range: 13AX-14FX.

The comprehensive Unicode range could expand further to include Cherokee Numerals (see References, Additional font-face). Cherokee expansion is required to include numeric and other Cherokee symbols, in a similar accessible Unicode block. The noted Cherokee Sequoyah Range: 13AX-14FX could remain attached to Cherokee Child Range: AB70–? (ABBF/ABCF). That Child supplement then providing placeholders for Cherokee numeric and other symbols, pending their formal inclusion in Cherokee Sequoyah Range.

Adjustment is to occur with Unicode version 10. Perhaps at that time (or sooner), Unicode Cherokee keyboard accessibility and block continuity can be resolved with corrected implementation of uppercase and lowercase Cherokee. Sequoyah and Child assignments reflect basic Cherokee accessibility. Integration (repair) of presently (2017) broken Cherokee in Unicode Range distribution is a matter for the Unicode Consortium to address. Cherokee Nation is a Liaison Member of the Unicode Consortium.

References

[3] [4] [5] [6]

  1. ^ "Unicode character database". The Unicode Standard. Retrieved 2016-07-09.
  2. ^ "Enumerated Versions of The Unicode Standard". The Unicode Standard. Retrieved 2016-07-09.
  3. ^ "Cherokee (Sequoyah) Range: 13A0–13FF" Unicode block
  4. ^ "Cherokee Supplement Range: AB70–ABBF" Unicode block
  5. ^ "Cherokee (ᏣᎳᎩ / Tsalagi)" Additional font-face
  6. ^ "Cherokee Language Technology" Cherokee Nation


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