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Things of Middle-earth

Dunlendish

Type: Languages & Writing Systems

Meaning: language of the Dunlendings

Other Names: Dunland tongue

Description:
[In] the hills of Dunland a remnant lingered of an older people, the former inhabitants of much of Gondor. These clung to their own languages...

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix F, The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age

Alien, too, or only remotely akin [to the Common Speech], was the language of the Dunlendings. These were a remnant of the peoples that had dwelt in the vales of the White Mountains in ages past. The Dead Men of Dunharrow were of their kin. [...] Only in Dunland did Men of this race hold to their own speech and manners; a secret folk, unfriendly to the DĂșnedain, hating the Rohirrim.

Of their language nothing appears in this book, save the name Forgoil which they gave to the Rohirrim (meaning Strawheads, it is said). Dunland and Dunlending are the names that the Rohirrim gave to them, because they were swarthy and dark-haired;

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix F, The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age: Of Men

But the Westron was used as a second language of intercourse by all those who still retained a speech of their own [...] Even among the Wild Men and the Dunlendings who shunned other folk there were some that could speak it, though brokenly.

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix F, The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age

'...there are many that cry in the Dunland tongue,' said Gamling. 'I know that tongue. It is an ancient speech of men, and once was spoken in many western valleys of the Mark....'

The Two Towers, LoTR Book 3, Ch 7, Helm's Deep

[The name for the language is given:]
[The] southern Stoors appear to have adopted a language related to Dunlendish before they came north to the Shire.

The Return of the King, LoTR Appendix F, The Languages and Peoples of the Third Age: Of Hobbits

Contributors: Tanaqui 4May05

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