Pre-Númenórean is a term that is used to refer to several Mannish languages and dialects in the West-lands that pre-date the Númenórean kingdoms of Gondor and Arnor. These languages were spoken by the folk of Agar,[1] the Drúedain, the Men of the Mountains, the Dunlendings[2] the inhabitants of Lamedon and Anórien, and many other inhabitants of the West-lands of Middle-earth.[3]
History[]
Pre-Númenórean languages derived from the settlers who were separated relatives of the House of Haleth. Their members stayed back in Eriador while the Edain migrated to Beleriand during the First Age.[4]
Their language was foreign to Taliska, the language of the other two tribes, and as a result, the evolved languages became distinctly alien from Adûnaic,[2] being closer to the tongue of the Haladin.[4]
The only pre-Númenórean tongues that survived into the Third Age as active languages were Dunlendish[2] and Drúadan tongue.[5] For the former, it was the result of a long enmity and a reluctance to speak Westron,[2][6] while in the latter case it was isolation.[4]
Sometime during the reign of Meneldil in Gondor, an untold Gondorian scribe wrote a treatise entitled Ondonórë Nómesseron Minaþurië about the origins of place-names in Gondor. In the text, it is explained that many existing names in many different pre-Númenórean languages were adapted to Sindarin to form Númenórean Sindarin, such as Arnen and Arnach.[7]
The pre-Númenórean language that was spoken by the folk of the Ethir and Pelargir eventually merged with Adûnaic to form Westron.[2] A few words in this language, survived in place-names, such as Eilenach[3] and Rimmon, and personal names, such as Forlong.[2]
References[]
- ↑ The History of Middle-earth, Vol. 12: The Peoples of Middle-earth, XVII: "Tal-Elmar"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 The Lord of the Rings, Appendix F, "The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age", "Of Men"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part Three: The Third Age, II: "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan", note 51
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, Part Four, I: "The Drúedain"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Vol. III: The Return of the King, Book Five, ch. IV: "The Ride of the Rohirrim"
- ↑ The Lord of the Rings, Vol. II: The Two Towers, "Helm's Deep"
- ↑ The Nature of Middle-earth, "Part Three. The World, its Lands, and its Inhabitants: XXII. "The Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor", pg. 388