Pre-Númenórean

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Pre-Númenórean is a term used to refer to several Mannish tongues and dialects in Gondor that predate Númenórean settlement. Its speakers included the folk of Agar,[1] the Drúedain, the Men of Dunharrow, the Dunlendings[2] and several other inhabitants of Lamedon and Anórien.[3]

Roots

Pre-Númenórean languages derived from the settlers who appartized relatives of the House of Haleth. Their members stayed back in Eriador while the Edain migrated to the west during the First Age.[source?]

Their language was foreign to Taliska, the language of the other two tribes, and as a result, the evolved languages became distinctly alien from Adûnaic,[2] being a closer to the tongue of the Haladin.[4]

Survival

The only pre-Númenórean tongues that survived into the Third Age as active languages were Dunlendish[2] and the Drúedain tongue.[5] For the former, it was the result of a long enmity and a reluctance to speak Westron,[2][6] while in the latter case it was isolation.[4]

The pre-Númenórean tongue of the Ethir and Pelargir merged with Adûnaic into Westron.[2] Under the Númenórean dominion, the language only survived in placenames and personal names, such as Eilenach[3], Rimmon and Forlong.[2]

References