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Authors: J. R. R. Tolkien
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many of the powers of the Elves, and they were capable of devising languages of a sort for themselves, as indeed they have done, it seems, in many remote lands. But in fact Men did not in all regions go through the slow and painful process of invention. In the North and West of the Old World they learned language direct and fully made from Elves who befriended them in their infancy and early wanderings; and the tongues of Men (* On the other hand the Noldorin and Lemberin tongues, that had long been sundered, being now spoken by peoples dwelling side by side, drew closer together; and though they remained wholly distinct they became similar in sound and style.)
which are, however remotely, of this origin the Quendi have at all times found the more pleasant to their own ears. Yet soon even these western tongues of Men became estranged from the speech of Elves, being changed by process of time, or by Men's own inventions and additions, or by other influences, notably that of the Dwarves from whom long ago some Men learned much, especially of delving, building, and smithying.
$7. Now the Men who first came westward out of the heart of Middle-earth to lands near the shores of the Sea were called by the Elves Atani,(3) [added: or in Noldorin the Edain,] the Fathers of Men, and there was great friendship between the two races. For when the Fathers of Men came over the mountains they met for the first time the Eldar, or High-elves; and the Eldar were at that time engaged in a ceaseless war with the Dark Lord of that Age, one greater far than Sauron, who was but one of his minions. In that war three houses of the Fathers of Men aided the Elves, especially the Noldor, and lived among them and fought beside them; and the people [> lords] of these houses learned the Noldorin speech [struck out:] and forsook their own tongue.(4)
$8. When at last that war was ended, most of the exiled Noldor returned over the Sea to Valinor or to the land of Eressea that lies / within sight of it [> near]. Then the people of the Three Houses of Men were permitted as a reward to pass also over the Sea, if they would, and to dwell in an isle set apart for them. The name of that great isle was Numenor, which in Quenya signifies Westernesse. Most of the Fathers of Men departed and dwelt in Numenor and there became great and powerful; and they were fair of face and tall, and masters of craft and lore only less than the Eldar, and the span of their lives was thrice that of men in Middle-earth, though they remained mortal nonetheless, and were not permitted to set foot upon the shores of the deathless land of Valinor. They were called Kings of Men, the Numenoreans, or in Noldorin the Dunedein
[> Dunedain].(5)
$9. The language of the Dunedain was thus the Elvish Noldorin, though their high lords and men of wisdom knew also the Quenya, [> Thus in Numenor two languages were used: the Numenorean (or Adunaic), and the Elvish Noldorin, which all the lords of that people knew and spoke, for they had many dealings with the Elves in the days ere their fall. But their men of wisdom learned also the Quenya, and could read the books of Elven lore;] and in that high tongue they gave names to many places of fame or reverence, and to men of royalty and great renown.* After the Downfall of Numenor (which was contrived by Sauron) Elendil and the fugitives from the West fled eastwards. But in the west-lands of Middle-earth, where they established their exiled realms, they found a common tongue in use along the coast-lands from the Mouths of Anduin to the icy Bay of Forochel in the North. This tongue was in Noldorin called Falathren or 'Shore-language', but by its users was called Yandune [> Andunar > Adunar] (that is Westron) or Soval Phare (that is Common Speech).(6)
$10. This Common Speech was [struck out:] in the beginning / a Mannish language, and was indeed only a later form of the native tongue of the Fathers of Men themselves before those of the Three Houses passed
which are, however remotely, of this origin the Quendi have at all times found the more pleasant to their own ears. Yet soon even these western tongues of Men became estranged from the speech of Elves, being changed by process of time, or by Men's own inventions and additions, or by other influences, notably that of the Dwarves from whom long ago some Men learned much, especially of delving, building, and smithying.
$7. Now the Men who first came westward out of the heart of Middle-earth to lands near the shores of the Sea were called by the Elves Atani,(3) [added: or in Noldorin the Edain,] the Fathers of Men, and there was great friendship between the two races. For when the Fathers of Men came over the mountains they met for the first time the Eldar, or High-elves; and the Eldar were at that time engaged in a ceaseless war with the Dark Lord of that Age, one greater far than Sauron, who was but one of his minions. In that war three houses of the Fathers of Men aided the Elves, especially the Noldor, and lived among them and fought beside them; and the people [> lords] of these houses learned the Noldorin speech [struck out:] and forsook their own tongue.(4)
$8. When at last that war was ended, most of the exiled Noldor returned over the Sea to Valinor or to the land of Eressea that lies / within sight of it [> near]. Then the people of the Three Houses of Men were permitted as a reward to pass also over the Sea, if they would, and to dwell in an isle set apart for them. The name of that great isle was Numenor, which in Quenya signifies Westernesse. Most of the Fathers of Men departed and dwelt in Numenor and there became great and powerful; and they were fair of face and tall, and masters of craft and lore only less than the Eldar, and the span of their lives was thrice that of men in Middle-earth, though they remained mortal nonetheless, and were not permitted to set foot upon the shores of the deathless land of Valinor. They were called Kings of Men, the Numenoreans, or in Noldorin the Dunedein
[> Dunedain].(5)
$9. The language of the Dunedain was thus the Elvish Noldorin, though their high lords and men of wisdom knew also the Quenya, [> Thus in Numenor two languages were used: the Numenorean (or Adunaic), and the Elvish Noldorin, which all the lords of that people knew and spoke, for they had many dealings with the Elves in the days ere their fall. But their men of wisdom learned also the Quenya, and could read the books of Elven lore;] and in that high tongue they gave names to many places of fame or reverence, and to men of royalty and great renown.* After the Downfall of Numenor (which was contrived by Sauron) Elendil and the fugitives from the West fled eastwards. But in the west-lands of Middle-earth, where they established their exiled realms, they found a common tongue in use along the coast-lands from the Mouths of Anduin to the icy Bay of Forochel in the North. This tongue was in Noldorin called Falathren or 'Shore-language', but by its users was called Yandune [> Andunar > Adunar] (that is Westron) or Soval Phare (that is Common Speech).(6)
$10. This Common Speech was [struck out:] in the beginning / a Mannish language, and was indeed only a later form of the native tongue of the Fathers of Men themselves before those of the Three Houses passed
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