Q: I am going to be a grandmother for the first time. I am part Cherokee and would like my granddaughter-to-be to call me by the Cherokee word for Grandmother, but I don't know what it is. Could you help me?
A: Congratulations! The Cherokee language has different words for paternal and maternal grandparents. So traditionally, if this was your daughter's baby she would call you Elisi (pronounced similar to ay-lee-see), and if it was your son's baby she would call you Enisi (ay-nee-see.)
Today though, many Cherokee people have given up this distinction and use Elisi to address any grandmother.
Hope that helps, have a good day!
Native Languages of the Americas
Further reading:
Native American translations
Cherokee names
Cherokee kids page
I read on another website it was Ulisi, with a U. Dialect difference, or mistake?
ReplyDeleteUlisi is used if you are speaking about grandma. Elisi is used when speaking to grandma. I hope this helps! :)
DeleteDifferent word form. "Ulisi" means "his or her grandmother." "Elisi" is a vocative form, used when you're speaking to your own grandmother.
ReplyDeleteVery insightful, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI am a bit confused. On a few other pages it said that your maternal grandmother is Enisi, and your paternal grandmother is Elisi. Could you clarify which is correct? :)
ReplyDeleteElisi is your maternal grandmother (your mother's mother), and Enisi is your paternal grandmother (your father's mother.) Actually, Enisi can refer to EITHER of your paternal grandparents (your father's mother or your father's father.) Elisi is a feminine word only. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter's step-mother-in-law choose elisi as her name; as a grandmother's name, on my grandson's first birthday. Very annoying because she "thinks" she has Cherokee blood down the line. She pronounces it i li si (ee lee see) not e li si (ey lee see). Now I am having to explain the difference between the pronunciations with her name and the Cherokee word for elsi and for that reason, I am making sure that they know the difference between the three words. Sorry, just venting.
Deletewhat is the grandfathers name? for Cherokee?
ReplyDeleteIf you're speaking to him, "Grandfather" is Edudu in Cherokee. But just as with "grandmother," that originally referred only to your maternal grandfather. Paternal grandparents were called Enisi. It's a distinction that's disappearing, though. Many Cherokees use Edudu for either grandfather.
ReplyDeleteI'm wanting to tattoo my grandaughters name who is deceased with Edudu under it. I was told most use the word Eduda now? Anyone know?
ReplyDeleteI believe either can be correct. (There is a lot of dialect variation among final vowels in Cherokee.) Let me check with a few of our Cherokee speakers. The "E-" prefix there is for addressing somebody, though (i.e. what your granddaughter would say if she were speaking to you.) If you want to say "her grandfather" it would be Ududu.
ReplyDeleteMy son refers to his grandmother as Enisi. I was hoping to make her a piece of art for her Birthday that said Enisi but was written in Cherokee. Does anyone know how to write Enisi using the Cherokee alphabet
ReplyDeleteYes, you can see the Cherokee writing system here: http://native-languages.org/cherokee_alphabet.htm It's a syllabary, so you need to use one character per syllable: in your case, the three syllables labeled E, NI, and SI. Hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteI am writing a book charting American history A big part is the story of the natives, and your site has been so helpful Thank you very much and look out for my book, i think you will see it is very insightful. It is seen from the prospective of Mythol Eorthe
ReplyDeleteMy great grandmother was 3/4 cherokee on my fathers side and I am giving my grandchildren (sons) cherokee names and also they wanted to know what to call me as their grandmother and your site answered my questions. Thank you very much. C Cooper
ReplyDelete💕 Thank you!! 💕
ReplyDeleteGreat information. My grandparents are Cherokee.
ReplyDeleteReally appreciate everyone’s input! My great grandmother is full Cherokee and Grandfather half Choctaw & finally started my search for ancestry docs & tribe info w hopes of finding detailed heritage & background documentation for my family! Plz feel free to share any advice to assist me in establishing heritage legally bc have just started this process. I’d greatly appreciate any help and thanks again guys! God bless y’all and happy holidays
ReplyDeleteI am Hillbilly-Lebanese, had the uniquitious Cherokee Grandmother by family tree and DNA testing, had yellowish complexion now red with rosacea, and dark curly hair. While the first grandchild often ends up, deciding the grandmother‘s name, I did NOT want to be called Nana or Maw-Maw or Tita, so I decided on Elisi. Unfortunately, the other grandmothers are going to be gee-gee and bee-mee (or something along those lines). Now I’m afraid that Elisi sounds too much like the other grandmothers names. Oh well.
ReplyDelete