Languages

Inevitably, anyone saying anything about the writings of Tolkien has to say something about langauge. This is particularly true of Numenor, as three languages were used on the island: Quenya, Sindarin, and Adunaic.

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 Numenor by the Edain as the language of ancient lore and wisdom. It was not spoken on Numenor but was used to form the official names of places and important people. Even so, these places and people usually had Sindarin and/or Adunaic names, often with the same meaning as the 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 Nmenor - especially in the north-west around the city of Andunie.

Adunaic 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 Numenor, increasingly so as the Nmenreans grew to hate all things elvish. From the days of Ar-Adunakhor 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 Adunaic.

The name Numenor is an Anglicization (and probably a Westronization) of the Quenya Numenore, meaning "western land". The Adnaic equivalent was Anadune, 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 Adnaic equivalent was Yozayan. After its destruction, it was often called Atalante (Quenya: "the Downfallen"), which is Akallabeth in Adunaic.

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 Adunaic. Although lesser citizens acquired Adunaic names far earlier. Indeed, it is probable that right from the begining there were common folk who spoke no language beside Adunaic. The twentieth King, Ar-Adunakhor, was the first to take the Sceptre with a title in Adunaic, although for superstitious reasons they continued to enter a Quenya name into the Scrolls. The earlier Kings would have acquired Adunaic names - even if they were never used during their reigns, they would have been used in later histories.

During the timeframe of this MUSH, the Elven tongues are once more in favour. This is reflected greatly in the fact that Tar-Palantir had taken on the title of "Tar" rather than the Adunaic "Ar." If Tar-Palantir did show favour to the Adunaic, he would have made his title Ar-Inzilbeth. However, there is a great faction within Numenor that reject the use of the Elven tongues and for the great part Adunaic is the only spoken language in Numenor at this time.