Cherokee (Unicode block) facts for kids

The Cherokee block is a special set of characters in Unicode. Unicode is like a huge library of all the letters, numbers, and symbols used in languages around the world. This block holds the unique characters for writing the Cherokee language.

The Cherokee language uses a syllabary. This means each character stands for a whole syllable, not just a single letter. Think of it like a shortcut for writing!

When the Cherokee characters were first added to Unicode (in version 3.0), they were treated as a "unicameral" alphabet. This means they only had one form, like how some numbers only have one shape. Later, in version 8.0, they were changed to be "bicameral." This means they now have both uppercase (big) and lowercase (small) forms, just like English letters.

The main Cherokee block (from U+13A0 to U+13FF) has all the uppercase letters. It also includes six lowercase letters. The rest of the lowercase letters are found in another part of Unicode called the Cherokee Supplement block (from U+AB70 to U+ABBF). This was added later in version 8.0.

Even though there are now both big and small Cherokee letters, when computers "fold" or simplify text, they usually change Cherokee characters to their uppercase form. This helps make sure older computer programs can still understand and show the text correctly.