THE LANGUAGE OF THE DUNLENDINGS

Previous articles in "Whispers" about the languages of the Middle Earth have, correctly, noted that Tolkien has said little about the Neutral languages. The evidence is thin but there is support for the contention that the Dunlendings should be considered as a sort of proto-Celtic people.

Firstly, some background. When the Romans evacuated their military forces from Britain in 425 AD the native Celtic Britons were left to their own devices. The resulting power vacuum attracted the Saxons. These came first as raiders, then mercenaries, then settlers and finally as conquerors. During the next 450 years there was constant skirmishing and warfare between the Celts and Saxons. Slowly the Celts were expelled from the better agricultural land. Eventually the Celts were confined to Cornwall, Wales and Scotland where they were pretty much reduced to a pastoral economy. As might be imagined, the Celts were hostile to and resentful of the "newcomers". The Saxons were very aware that not very far off was a frontier. On the other side of that frontier were warlike peoples ready to raid, steal sheep and burn isolated cottages.

Tolkien, of course, was a linguist and a Professor of Anglo-Saxon literature and language. He was intimately familiar with the Celtic/Saxon struggle.

Here is what Tolkien has said about the Dunlendings:

• They were tall. So tall, in fact, that a very brave dwarf (at the battle of Helm's deep) flinched away from engaging them in hand to hand combat. Outside observers of the British Celts, from Caesar to Giraldas Cambrensis have all commented on how tall the Celts were.

• They were hillmen and pastoral with flocks. This would also describe the Celts of the Middle Ages.

• They were aggressive and warlike. Also a noted Celtic activity.

• The inhabitants of the hills of Dunland were a remnant of an older people. They clung to their old language. Also Celtic.

• The Dunlendings were a remnant people who had dwelled in the dales of the White Mountains before being ejected from those lands by the Dunedain and Rohirrim. This would also parallel the Celts vis-a-vis the Saxons. Not surprising, the Dunlendings were unfriendly to the Dunedain and hated the Rohirrim.

• Their land was called "dunland" and the word "dunn" had no connection to the Elven word "Dun" (west). Now "dun" is a Celtic word that means tower, or mound, or hill. It would certainly be reasonable to describe hill country using the term "Dunland".

• The Dunlendings called the Rohirrim "Forgoil". This was translated by Tolkien as "straw heads" and refers to the blonde hair of most of the riders. The term "Forgoil" seems, to this author, to be a slightly Anglicized form of the Celtic words "fyne" (white) and "gheal" (pronounced 'gyal') which also means white. A not unreasonable description of pale men with light colored hair.

• Tolkien says that Stoors, among the Hobbits, had adopted a language related to Dunlendish before they came north to the Shire. "They had a style that we should perhaps feel vaguely to be 'Celtic'", according to the Master.

It would be completely within the spirit of Tolkien's epic and the GSI policy for a Dunlending player to name characters and places after Celtic root words. There are four surviving Celtic languages. Here are some suggestions using Highland Scots as a base.

Gaelic word// English equivalent// pronunciation aid


CHARACTERS:                                                                 

Commander Names:				          
					
Dream//Royal
 
Righe//King//ree

Banrigh//queen

Speireig//Hawk//sperag

Tuire//boar//torc

Ulbhaidh//wolf//oolu

Bhruic//badger//broc

Capull//horse

Claidheamh//sword//"claymore"

Choilich//cock//culuch

Iolaire//eagle//yulie

Useful Compounds:

Mna//wife//mra

Mac//son of

Mhoir//great

Nighinn//daughter//nee-un

Sean//old//shen

Bean//woman//ben

Dhaoine//man//doonu

Emissary Names:

Annaid//Mother

Mhanaich//Monk//mynach

Sagart//Priest//sagurt

Caillich//Nun or old woman

Bheoil//mouth//bial

Agent Names:

Mhadaidh//fox//myuch

Nathrach//serpent//na-hir

Saighe//bitch//saree

Uruisg//human monster//oorushe

Mage Names:

Bheithir//monster or thunderbolt//be-hir

Bodach//specter

Chait//cat

Clamhan//buzzard//clavan

Cnamba//bones



PLACE NAMES:

     Gaelic is incredibly rich in topographic descriptive terms.  A single word can tell the size and shape of 
a hill, describe the slopes and what they are made of and tell if it is exposed to the wind.  Here are some 
common terms that can be compounded into localities.

     EXAMPLES:

     Raptor's Nest = Nidspeireig or Suidheiolaire
     Lowland Town = Clachancoire or Bhailemachair




Aimhne//river//avin

Aileach//stony place

Aisre//pass//ashir

Aonach//market place//oon-ach

Atha//stream

Bhaile//town//balu

Beag//little//beg

Blar//plain

Carse//agricultural land

Clachan//hamlet

Coille//forest

Crom//crooked

Dour//water

Drochaid//bridge

Easg//marsh

Fuar//cold//floor

Gharaidh//wall or dike//garu

Gill//ravine

Howff//home

Iosal//low//ess-ul

Knock//a small round hill

Loch//lake

Luib//a bend//loob

Machair//plain//machir

Mhoid//meeting place

Nid//nest//ned

Pend//archway

Rath//fort//ra

Ross//peninsula

Tolbooth//prison

Acair//anchorage//akir

Ailein//meadow//alen

An//well

Ard//height

Auch//field

Bhaid//cluster of trees

Bathaich//shelter//ba-hach

Beinn//mountain

Both//house

Cill//church

Cluain//pasture//cloo-ain

Coire//valley

Cuith//pit

Druim//ridge

Eas//waterfall//es

fail//cliff

Fuaran//cold well

Gart//enclosure

Giuthas//pine forest//geoo-us

Innis//island

Killie//hardwood forest

Leith//half//leh

Losg//burnt ground

Lynn//pool of water

Meoir//small stream//mer

Mhuilinn//mill//mooylen

Ochter//upper or high

Phris//brush

Rathaid//road//ra-ud

Sneachda//snow//shneche

Uamh//cave//uav