Title: Languages
Description: the tongues of Arda
Lothlómendil - March 16, 2004 12:36 AM (GMT)
Languages of Arda
Adûnaic (The Common Tongue) - The language of Men, also called English.
Quenya (Eldarin) - High-Elven, the ancient language of the first Elves. This is mostly spoken only by the Elves in Aman.
Sindarin - Present day Elvish, derived from Quenya but very changed.
Khuzdûl - Dwarvish, a widely unknown language that almost none outside the Dwarven race speak. Dwarves are secretive and do not wish to share their tongue with outsiders.
Iglishmek - A Dwarven sign language, desgined mostly to maintain secrecy of speech among strangers. The sign-gestures are often so slight and so swift that they can hardly be detected, not to mention interpreted by others, allowing supreme stealth when the Dwarves communicate among one another. Where the spoken language Khuzdul remains unchanged throughout Arda, the sign language of Iglishmek has its own dialect in every Dwarven region.
Ainurin (Valarin) - The language of the Valar and Maiar. Nothing is known of this language by the beings in Arda, and none of the world can speak it.
Demonic (The Black Speech) - The language of demons, created by Raku and Irm'kshrauko, the Maia that first created demons.
Orkish - The crude language of the Orcs. It is said that they had no language of their own, but took what they could of other tongues and perverted it to their own liking. Yet they made only brutal jargons, scarcely sufficient even for their own needs, unless it were for curses and abuse.
Entish - The language of the Onodrim (Ents). It is spoken in long, slow conversations that take much time to say.
Qua'ek - The primal language of the Lizarians, consisting of grunting and gutteral noises.
Draconic - The complex language of the dragons that is nearly impossible for any other being to speak.
Drowish - The language of the dark Elves, the Drow.