After months of consulting with Cherokee leaders, Motorola rolled out a Cherokee interface on its newest phones. Although the initiative won’t fully address concerns of language extinction, it could help tribal members immerse themselves in the language more easily.
By itself, being able to read smartphone home screens in Cherokee won’t be enough to safeguard the Indigenous language, endangered after a long history of erasure. But it might be a step toward immersing younger tribal citizens in the language spoken by a dwindling number of their elders.
The Cherokee language is considered endangered, or at risk of disappearing. The majority of people who speak the language are old. Recent efforts involving technology, however, might help speakers use the language more in daily life.
By itself, being able to read smartphone home screens in Cherokee won’t be enough to safeguard the Indigenous language, endangered after a long history of erasure.