Black Speech
Overview
Black Speech is a language derived from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, especially The Lord of the Rings. It is the language spoken by the servants of Sauron and the inhabitants of Mordor.
This article deals with the language named Black Speech as it is used in NationStates. You may also read about Black Speech on Wikipedia.
Sources
Authentic Black Speech, as used in The Lord of the Rings, is present in only two original phrases, and several names. These are firstly the ring-spell:
- Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul,
- ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.
Which, rendered in English, means:
- One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
- One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.,
And secondly, a curse uttered by an Orc:
- Uglûk u bagronk sha pushdug Saruman-glob bûb-hosh skai!
Which Tolkien himself translated differently at two instances:
- Uglúk to the cesspool, sha! the dungfilth; the great Saruman-fool, skai!
- Uglúk to the dung-pit with stinking Saruman-filth, pig-guts, gah!
Thus "glob" might mean "filth" or "fool", "push-dug" either "dungfilth" or "stinking", and "bub-hosh" either "pig-guts" or "great".
The original vocabulary of the language is thus very limited, though it has been complemented by a large amount of new words invented by fans.
It should be noted that most place-names in Mordor and connected to Sauron are named in Elvish, not in the Black Speech. This includes Mordor, Barad-Dur, Dol-Guldur, Minas Morgul, Cirith Ungol and Orodruin.
Vocabulary
The few known words (most of them corrupted or debased forms of words derived from other languages by
Tolkien) include (derived from Ardalambion):
agh : and ash : One at : a syllable indicating either infinitive, or possibly purpose. bagronk : cess-pool bub-hosh : great burz : darkness durb : to rule gimb : to find gûl : wraith ishi : in (preposition, attached after object) lug : tower krimp : to bind/tie nazg : ring push-dug : dungfilth sha : Exclamation of distaste/disapproval/scorn skai : Exclamation of distaste/disapproval/scorn thrak : to bring ûk : all/fully/completely (attached as suffix to the verb of action) ul : them uruk : Orc
Grammar
...
External Links
- The Ardalambion (Site of Helge K. Fauskanger, a Tolkien linguist)
