Anyone, both heritage and non-heritage learners, with an interest in Cherokee or Indigenous American languages can take the Cherokee classes at Yale.
Cherokee Language
Yale’s Cherokee program provides instruction in the Cherokee language, which is the first Indigenous language of the Americas to be offered in formal language courses at Yale. Courses emphasize Cherokee culture and history, grammar, vocabulary, and conversational and comprehension skills. The courses also involve working with the Cherokee syllabary (a writing system based on syllables) and interacting with Cherokee speakers and community members.
Meet the Cherokee lector
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Patrick Del Percio
Lector
The U.S. has always been a multilingual country. And it’s important for students who come to Yale to be able to study languages that are from the continent.
Claire Bowern, professor of linguistics
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Lector of Cherokee is Yale’s first faculty member in an Indigenous language
Arrow Up Right (link is external)Patrick Del Percio, who joined the Faculty of Arts and Sciences this fall, is Yale’s first full-time member in an Indigenous Language.
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Yale offers first-ever Cherokee course for credit
Arrow Up Right (link is external)The new class is the first Indigenous language course that can be put toward the undergraduate distributional requirements.
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Yale to offer first Indigenous language course in fall 2023
Arrow Up Right (link is external)With the advent of a new Cherokee lecture course, Yale will introduce the first Native American language class which can satisfy the college’s language requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The Cherokee language classes are the first Indigenous language classes offered at Yale which count towards the language requirement.
Cherokee language classes began in the academic year 2023-2024, when we offered L1 and L2. The program continues to grow with that initial cohort of students.
In 2024-2025 we will offer L1-L4, and L5 can be taken an independent study option.
Currently L1 is offered each Fall semester.
The Cherokee classes are part of the Shared Course Initiative (SCI). Through this program, students from Columbia and Cornell may join the class remotely. Check with the language instructor and SCI to see if your language level is being offered via SCI.
Yes! Please contact Patrick Del Percio and the Linguistics DUS (see Contact Page) for details.
Not for language credit at present. There are other options for credit outside of Yale; see the Yale College Programs of Study for further information. There are also non-credit options to take other Native American languages at Yale, either through the DILS program or (for heritage speakers and learners) through the Native American Cultural Center.