Languages of Men: Adûnaic, Westron, Rohirric, Dunlendish, the languages of Rhûn and Harad

Like much else that is alive and of importance in the world, the languages of Men, too, can be traced back to their beginnings in Rhûn. In Hildórien, when Men decided to stay in the East or migrate to the West, so did their languages divide. The first and third tribe of these Atanatári, the fathers of Men, used a similar tongue. While they spoke different dialects, those remained closely related and continued to influence each other as they grew.

Adûnaic, the language of Númenór was among them, from it Black Adûnaic and Westron were born and from Westron, also named the “Common Speech”, the language of the Hobbits.

Even before the Fall of Númenór Sindarin and Quenya were used prominently among the Men of the West, with exclusion of a small period during which an attempt was made to ban their use, and many elven words from these and other, less well known tongues, were woven into the Common Speech. Khuzdul, the language of dwarves, too, had some influence on it.

Also among the languages of the West were the tongues spoken by the Men of Eriador and those of the Men of the North, including Dalish and Rohirric.

The second great tribe of the Atanatári, however, remaining in the South and East, eventually developed and used a rather unrelated tongue to those who had gone West. Oldest among the tongues arising from it is Dunlendish. Most languages and dialects of the Haradrim of Haradwaith and the Easterlings of Rhûn also grew from this branch.

While Dunlendish remains spoken widely classical Adûnaic is no longer used among the Men of the Third Age. Newer forms are still spoken among the Umbari, fragments of it have survived as part of Westron and its debased form may be used among servants of Mordor.

Westron has become the most wide-spread language on Middle Earth. It is spoken by all Men native to the lands in the North and West of Middle Earth, as well as the Hobbits. Dwarves use it as a public language while speaking Khuzdul in private, and some elves speak it as well. Even some Orc are knowledgeable in it and use it as basis for their own dialects.