Post by Tindómiel on Dec 16, 2006 13:53:51 GMT -5
Inevitably, anyone saying anything about the writings of Tolkien has to say something about langauge. This is particularly true of Númenor, as three languages were used on the island: Quenya, Sindarin, and Adûnaic.
* Quenya was the language of the High Elves of the West (i.e. Valinor). It was brought to Middle-earth by the Noldor (one of the tribes of the Elves) as they returned to Middle-earth in pursuit of Morgoth at the begining of the First Age. However, for various reasons, once in Middle-earth the Noldor largely abandoned Quenya in favour of Sindarin. Quenya was taken to Númenor by the Edain as the language of ancient lore and wisdom. It was not spoken on Númenor but was used to form the official names of places and important people. Even so, these places and people usually had Sindarin and/or Adûnaic names, often with the same meaning as the Quenya. Unless otherwise indicated all the names appearing in the table in Part 2 are Quenya.
* Sindarin was originally the language of the Grey Elves of Beleriand (a region in the north-west of Middle-earth), however it became the lingua franca of all Elves in Middle-earth throughout the First and Second Ages. Until banned, it was widely spoken in Númenor - especially in the north-west around the city of Andúnië.
* Adûnaic has its origin in the Mannish (i.e. human) tongue originally spoken by the Edain before they entered Beleriand during the First Age. Thus it was not an Elvish language, it was however significantly influenced by Sindarin. It was always widely spoken on Númenor, increasingly so as the Númenóreans grew to hate all things elvish. From the days of Ar-Adûnakhôr onwards it was the only language permitted to be taught. Westron, the Common Speech of Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age (the langauge translated as English in The Lord of The Rings), was largely descended from Adûnaic.
The name Númenor is an Anglicization (and probably a Westronization) of the Quenya Númenórë, meaning "western land". The Adûnaic equivalent was Anadûnê, Westernesse in translated Westron. The Sindarin equivalent (possibly Dunador) is never used, indicating that Sindarin speakers used the Quenya name. The island, as opposed to the Kingdom, was often called Andor, a Quenya (or Sindarin) word meaning "land of gift". The Adûnaic equivalent was Yôzâyan. After its destruction, it was often called Atalantë (Quenya: "the Downfallen"), which is Akallabêth in Adûnaic.
The names of the Kings prefixed with "Tar" are all Quenya ("Tar" means High King). It was not until the reign of the eighteenth King, Tar-Calmacil, that it became common for name of the King to be spoken in Adûnaic. Although lesser citizens acquired Adûnaic names far earlier. Indeed, it is probable that right from the begining there were common folk who spoke no language beside Adûnaic. The twentieth King, Ar-Adûnakhôr, was the first to take the Sceptre with a title in Adûnaic, although for superstitious reasons they continued to enter a Quenya name into the Scrolls.
The earlier Kings would have acquired Adûnaic names - even if they were never used during their reigns, they would have been used in later histories.
* Quenya was the language of the High Elves of the West (i.e. Valinor). It was brought to Middle-earth by the Noldor (one of the tribes of the Elves) as they returned to Middle-earth in pursuit of Morgoth at the begining of the First Age. However, for various reasons, once in Middle-earth the Noldor largely abandoned Quenya in favour of Sindarin. Quenya was taken to Númenor by the Edain as the language of ancient lore and wisdom. It was not spoken on Númenor but was used to form the official names of places and important people. Even so, these places and people usually had Sindarin and/or Adûnaic names, often with the same meaning as the Quenya. Unless otherwise indicated all the names appearing in the table in Part 2 are Quenya.
* Sindarin was originally the language of the Grey Elves of Beleriand (a region in the north-west of Middle-earth), however it became the lingua franca of all Elves in Middle-earth throughout the First and Second Ages. Until banned, it was widely spoken in Númenor - especially in the north-west around the city of Andúnië.
* Adûnaic has its origin in the Mannish (i.e. human) tongue originally spoken by the Edain before they entered Beleriand during the First Age. Thus it was not an Elvish language, it was however significantly influenced by Sindarin. It was always widely spoken on Númenor, increasingly so as the Númenóreans grew to hate all things elvish. From the days of Ar-Adûnakhôr onwards it was the only language permitted to be taught. Westron, the Common Speech of Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age (the langauge translated as English in The Lord of The Rings), was largely descended from Adûnaic.
The name Númenor is an Anglicization (and probably a Westronization) of the Quenya Númenórë, meaning "western land". The Adûnaic equivalent was Anadûnê, Westernesse in translated Westron. The Sindarin equivalent (possibly Dunador) is never used, indicating that Sindarin speakers used the Quenya name. The island, as opposed to the Kingdom, was often called Andor, a Quenya (or Sindarin) word meaning "land of gift". The Adûnaic equivalent was Yôzâyan. After its destruction, it was often called Atalantë (Quenya: "the Downfallen"), which is Akallabêth in Adûnaic.
The names of the Kings prefixed with "Tar" are all Quenya ("Tar" means High King). It was not until the reign of the eighteenth King, Tar-Calmacil, that it became common for name of the King to be spoken in Adûnaic. Although lesser citizens acquired Adûnaic names far earlier. Indeed, it is probable that right from the begining there were common folk who spoke no language beside Adûnaic. The twentieth King, Ar-Adûnakhôr, was the first to take the Sceptre with a title in Adûnaic, although for superstitious reasons they continued to enter a Quenya name into the Scrolls.
The earlier Kings would have acquired Adûnaic names - even if they were never used during their reigns, they would have been used in later histories.
