Cherokee Letter Le

It represents the Cherokee syllable conventionally transliterated le. The Latin spelling is a sound guide, roughly “leh” in English; it is not an English word. In a Cherokee syllabary, each sign represents a spoken syllable, which combines with others to write words.

Sequoyah developed the Cherokee syllabary during 1815–1821 to write Cherokee speech and formally introduced it in 1821. The Cherokee Nation adopted it in 1825.

Why does Ꮄ look different in fonts?

Printing changed the outlines, not the syllable. Sequoyah’s intricate handwritten designs were adapted for metal type. In 1827, Samuel Worcester and Cherokee collaborators established printed forms; those forms shaped later print and handwriting. Details can vary across Cherokee fonts without changing the syllable.

The Cherokee Phoenix newspaper began printing in Cherokee and English in 1828. That same year, an inscription at Manitou Cave recorded stickball-team leaders (stickball is a ball game) in a ritual setting. Cherokee Nation teaching materials and keyboard guidance document educational and digital use as of 2025.

Another syllabic writing system drew on Cherokee: James Evans learned of its success in the 1830s and by 1840 had developed a related system for Cree and Ojibwe. That history links writing systems, not individual characters.

How do I type Ꮄ?

The Cherokee keyboard layout determines the keystroke. Phonetic keyboards map a Latin-letter syllable spelling to a Cherokee sign; direct layouts assign a separate key to each sign. On the phonetic layout described by the Cherokee Nation, type le for Ꮄ.