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View Full Version : Language forming the Dunedain?

Kirinki54
10-05-2002, 03:46 PM
Adunaic was apparently a language heavily influenced by Elvish tongues and Khuzdul. Do you think this affected the qualities and character of the Dunedain as a people?
afro-elf
10-06-2002, 12:18 AM
I Knew it was influenced by the former but I was unaware of the latter.

Perhaps but didn't they ( they Numenoreans) switch to Adunaic to distance themselves from the West.
markedel
10-06-2002, 12:57 PM
I think Adunaic was the language that evolved in Hithlum, based on the orginal language of the Edain (which had khuzdul influence) and the Sindarin of the elves.
Kirinki54
10-06-2002, 04:19 PM
Some people believe that language and culture are strongly connected. That is discussion I am not really qualified the pursue, but it is appealing to me. And obviously Tolkien attributed a lot of the qualities of the Dunedain/Numenoreans to their ancestry and bloodlines. But still, to Tolkien words and language meant so much. Is it a coincidence that the Adunaic had such a history, in relation to how the people later evolved?

What I mean basically is, is it reasonable to trace back for example the marvellous skills in building and sailing to qualities and preferences mirrored in the language? Or was it mainly the mere contacts and business with Elves and Dwarves that influenced the Dunedain?
markedel
10-06-2002, 06:57 PM
I think language reflects culture more then culture the language. Language is sort of the ultimate externalization of self certainly for Tolkien.
Millane
10-07-2002, 08:09 AM
i dont thinkso i think well for the elvish anyway it wouldnt surprise me if lots of middle earth languages could be traced back to elvish they were the first and the best... and as for Khuzdul... well who wouldnt want to speak it??? i know i would.
Kirinki54
10-08-2002, 01:55 PM
Originally posted by markedel
I think language reflects culture more then culture the language. Language is sort of the ultimate externalization of self certainly for Tolkien.

For the former, generally I think I might agree with you. But is this true with Tolkien? He invented his stories from words and languages. And internally, language often is connected to creativity, albeit we mostly see it expressed as magic and not technology.