Getting More Precisely What You Want with a Single Word: A Feature of Cherokee Language

These are things I’ve heard or read. I know not if they are true.
This is based on things some have said.
Not on things I do.

Hand me something living.

Hand me something flexible.
(a rope, clothing, a bendable stick, a piece of paper, a hose, etc.)

Hand me something long.
(a heavy stick, a spoon, etc.)

Hand me something indefinite.
(a dish, a book, a rock, a refrigerator, etc)

Hand me something liquid.
(even if in a container)

In Tsalagi, Cherokee, each of these different requests may be made with changes to a single root word.

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