Canadian Syllabics Final Plus

It contributes only the last consonant.

A final is a consonant written without a vowel after it. Standard Roman Orthography (SRO), the Latin-letter spelling system for Cree, represents its value with final y: the consonant-like glide at the start of “yes,” not a separate syllable.

Where did Cree syllabics come from?

They grew from a Cree and Ojibwe writing project.

In 1840, missionary printer James Evans published a Cree syllabary chart in October and a hymn in November at Norway House. The script offered a practical way to write Cree and Ojibwe, including Christian texts.

A 2023 Canadian archival review records Cree oral accounts in which missionaries learn syllabics from Cree; one names Calling Badger as the teacher. Written accounts center Evans, so sole authorship is contested. From 1855 to 1865, a related syllabic system reached eastern Arctic Inuktitut and was revised for that language.

How is ᐩ different from ᕀ?

They are separate characters with different positions.

ᐩ is small and raised; ᕀ sits on the center line like a full syllabic. A 2021 Cree orthography guide identifies ᕀ as a look-alike and reports a preference for raised ᐩ as the Western Cree final. Some fonts make their height hard to see. Cree keyboard layouts may keep finals on a separate layer, and converters can emit the look-alike, so check the output when exact spelling matters.