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Tolkien's languages and scripts (view source)
Revision as of 20:09, August 13, 2008
, 20:09, August 13, 2008created collective article and added content
The [[constructed language]]s created by [[J. R. R. Tolkien]], and those used in his fictional [[Middle-earth]] legendarium.
== External history ==
[[J. R. R. Tolkien]] was a [[philology|philologist]] and had loved language since he had been a child. He invented several languages, which he later used as languages for the inhabitants of his Middle-earth world.
While some of Tolkien's languages have a detailed grammar and vocabulary, some are a lot less detailed, and many consist of only a few names and words. Other languages appear in his works through a real-world 'stand-in' language: Rohirric is represented by [[Old English language|Old English]], and the names of the Dwarves and the Men of northeastern Middle-earth are Norse. Quenya and Sindarin are the most developed and probably also the most well known of Tolkien's languages.
In addition to the external history his languages went though in the process of their creation, Tolkien also invented an "internal history" for his languages, how they evolved inside the world over the time they were spoken by the fictional people.
Tolkien also invented several scripts, used for his languages and in his fictional world, among them the scripts [[Tengwar]] and [[Cirth]].
== Languages of Middle-earth ==
=== Eldarin languages ===
The '''Eldarin languages''' or '''Elvish languages''' are the languages of the Elves. In earlier times, the Elvish languages were the common speech. Later the Elvish languages were also used by humans, especially by scientists and the nobility. The Eldarin languages can be divided into two groups: the Quenya language and the Telerin languages, which include Telerin, Nandorin, and Sindarin.
==== Quenya ====
'''Quenya''' is an Elvish language. It was spoken by the Vanyar and Noldor in Valinor. When the Noldor returned to Middle-earth in the First Age, they brought the Quenya language with them. In the Second Age and especially the Third Age, Quenya was used in Middle-earth more as a scientific and ritual language, which prompted Tolkien to nickname Quenya the "Elf-[[Latin language|Latin]]".
==== Telerin ====
'''Telerin''' is an Elvish language. It was spoken by the Teleri. From Telerin developed several new languages and dialects, for example [[Sindarin]].
==== Sindarin ====
'''Sindarin''' is an Elvish language descended from the Telerin language. It was spoken by the Sindar (or Grey Elves) in Middle-earth. After the decline of Quenya it became the most common Elvish language spoken in Middle-earth.
=== Mannish languages ===
==== Adûnaic ====
'''Adûnaic''' is the language of the people of [[Númenor]]. After the Fall of Númenor, Adûnaic fell out of use. From Adûnaic and the native languages of the western coastlands of Middle-earth developed [[Westron]], the Common Speech.
==== Westron ====
'''Westron''' (Westron: ''Adûni'', Sindarin: ''Annúnaid'') or the '''Common Speech''' (Westron: ''Sôval Phârë'') is a language of Middle-earth. It evolved out of the [[Adûnaic]] of Númenor and the native Mannish languages of Middle-earth. In the Third Age, Westron was used as the common language, as it was spoken by most peoples. In the books set in those later times, the [[English language|English]] names and text are meant to be Westron, most of the time.
==== Rohirric ====
'''Rohirric''' (also Rohirian or Rohanese) is the language of the Rohirrim of [[Rohan (Middle-earth)|Rohan]]. Some actual Rohirric names and words exist, but they never appear in the narrative texts. In the narrative, Rohirric is represented by [[Old English language|Old English]], because Rohirric should feel older but vaguely related to the Hobbit's [[Westron]], which in the books is represented by [[English language|Modern English]].
=== Khuzdûl ===
'''Khuzdûl''' is the language of the [[Dwarf (Middle-earth)|Dwarves]]. The Dwarves are a very secretive people, and as such not much is known of their language to outsiders, aside from a few Khuzdûl place-names and phrases. The Dwarves also have always kept their Khuzdûl names a secret from non-dwarven people, instead using other "nicknames" for talking to non-dwarves or in writing. The Dwarven "nicknames" as they appear in the books are taken from [[Norse mythology]]. The Khuzdûl spoken language was called ''aglab''; in addition Khuzdûl also had a form of [[sign language]], the ''iglishmek''. The ''iglishmek'' was very subtle, in such a way that Dwarves could hold a conversation without anybody else understanding or even noticing.
=== Entish ===
'''Entish''' is the language of the Ents. It is, like the Ents themselves, a very "unhasty" language. The language is very descriptive and repetitive, because of which it takes a lot of time to say anything. The amount of time needed to say even very simple phrases, and the complicated structure, makes the Entish language unsuitable for anybody but the Ents themselves.
=== Valarin ===
'''Valarin''' was the language spoken by the [[Ainu (Middle-earth)|Ainur]].
=== Black Speech ===
'''Black Speech''' is the language created by [[Sauron]] and used by him and his followers. The most well known example of the language is the inscription on the [[One Ring (Middle-earth)|One Ring]], which is in Black Speech written in [[tengwar]] letters. Aside from the Ring-inscription there are a few names and words of Black Speech known.
== External links ==
*[http://www.uib.no/people/hnohf/ Ardalambion], about Tolkien's languages
[[Category:Middle-earth|Languages]]
[[Category:Languages]]
== External history ==
[[J. R. R. Tolkien]] was a [[philology|philologist]] and had loved language since he had been a child. He invented several languages, which he later used as languages for the inhabitants of his Middle-earth world.
While some of Tolkien's languages have a detailed grammar and vocabulary, some are a lot less detailed, and many consist of only a few names and words. Other languages appear in his works through a real-world 'stand-in' language: Rohirric is represented by [[Old English language|Old English]], and the names of the Dwarves and the Men of northeastern Middle-earth are Norse. Quenya and Sindarin are the most developed and probably also the most well known of Tolkien's languages.
In addition to the external history his languages went though in the process of their creation, Tolkien also invented an "internal history" for his languages, how they evolved inside the world over the time they were spoken by the fictional people.
Tolkien also invented several scripts, used for his languages and in his fictional world, among them the scripts [[Tengwar]] and [[Cirth]].
== Languages of Middle-earth ==
=== Eldarin languages ===
The '''Eldarin languages''' or '''Elvish languages''' are the languages of the Elves. In earlier times, the Elvish languages were the common speech. Later the Elvish languages were also used by humans, especially by scientists and the nobility. The Eldarin languages can be divided into two groups: the Quenya language and the Telerin languages, which include Telerin, Nandorin, and Sindarin.
==== Quenya ====
'''Quenya''' is an Elvish language. It was spoken by the Vanyar and Noldor in Valinor. When the Noldor returned to Middle-earth in the First Age, they brought the Quenya language with them. In the Second Age and especially the Third Age, Quenya was used in Middle-earth more as a scientific and ritual language, which prompted Tolkien to nickname Quenya the "Elf-[[Latin language|Latin]]".
==== Telerin ====
'''Telerin''' is an Elvish language. It was spoken by the Teleri. From Telerin developed several new languages and dialects, for example [[Sindarin]].
==== Sindarin ====
'''Sindarin''' is an Elvish language descended from the Telerin language. It was spoken by the Sindar (or Grey Elves) in Middle-earth. After the decline of Quenya it became the most common Elvish language spoken in Middle-earth.
=== Mannish languages ===
==== Adûnaic ====
'''Adûnaic''' is the language of the people of [[Númenor]]. After the Fall of Númenor, Adûnaic fell out of use. From Adûnaic and the native languages of the western coastlands of Middle-earth developed [[Westron]], the Common Speech.
==== Westron ====
'''Westron''' (Westron: ''Adûni'', Sindarin: ''Annúnaid'') or the '''Common Speech''' (Westron: ''Sôval Phârë'') is a language of Middle-earth. It evolved out of the [[Adûnaic]] of Númenor and the native Mannish languages of Middle-earth. In the Third Age, Westron was used as the common language, as it was spoken by most peoples. In the books set in those later times, the [[English language|English]] names and text are meant to be Westron, most of the time.
==== Rohirric ====
'''Rohirric''' (also Rohirian or Rohanese) is the language of the Rohirrim of [[Rohan (Middle-earth)|Rohan]]. Some actual Rohirric names and words exist, but they never appear in the narrative texts. In the narrative, Rohirric is represented by [[Old English language|Old English]], because Rohirric should feel older but vaguely related to the Hobbit's [[Westron]], which in the books is represented by [[English language|Modern English]].
=== Khuzdûl ===
'''Khuzdûl''' is the language of the [[Dwarf (Middle-earth)|Dwarves]]. The Dwarves are a very secretive people, and as such not much is known of their language to outsiders, aside from a few Khuzdûl place-names and phrases. The Dwarves also have always kept their Khuzdûl names a secret from non-dwarven people, instead using other "nicknames" for talking to non-dwarves or in writing. The Dwarven "nicknames" as they appear in the books are taken from [[Norse mythology]]. The Khuzdûl spoken language was called ''aglab''; in addition Khuzdûl also had a form of [[sign language]], the ''iglishmek''. The ''iglishmek'' was very subtle, in such a way that Dwarves could hold a conversation without anybody else understanding or even noticing.
=== Entish ===
'''Entish''' is the language of the Ents. It is, like the Ents themselves, a very "unhasty" language. The language is very descriptive and repetitive, because of which it takes a lot of time to say anything. The amount of time needed to say even very simple phrases, and the complicated structure, makes the Entish language unsuitable for anybody but the Ents themselves.
=== Valarin ===
'''Valarin''' was the language spoken by the [[Ainu (Middle-earth)|Ainur]].
=== Black Speech ===
'''Black Speech''' is the language created by [[Sauron]] and used by him and his followers. The most well known example of the language is the inscription on the [[One Ring (Middle-earth)|One Ring]], which is in Black Speech written in [[tengwar]] letters. Aside from the Ring-inscription there are a few names and words of Black Speech known.
== External links ==
*[http://www.uib.no/people/hnohf/ Ardalambion], about Tolkien's languages
[[Category:Middle-earth|Languages]]
[[Category:Languages]]