Accents of Middle-Earth Cultures

BREE

  It is important to note that those of Bree have a tendency to speak a few octaves higher than others, as though often excited about everything, though at times can be described as forlorn or melodic sounding with the musical intonations common to their sound. Too described as heavily backed and rounded in mouth, their wording can take 'about' and make it sound more of 'ahboat', whereas 'goat' ends up sounding more like 'goht while 'forlorn' ends of sounding as 'fahlarn' and 'melodic' sounds to the ears as 'mehlawdic'. Accents are not the sole difference between those of Bree and those not of Bree, it too falls to their speech structure such as:

- Those of Bree will say 'be' or 'do' instead of saying 'usually'. It oft can look as so: "I do plow a field." or "I oft be plowing a field, boy."
- Those of Bree will use 'after' in terms of directing attention to something that has just happened. So instead of saying "I had just left and the rain poured." They're more like to say, "After I was leaving, the rain poured."
- They're not likely to use "Don't be", "If", "That" or "Whether" in most sentence structures, instead simplifying with such as: "It was no matter to fret over. Now, tell me did you get the brandy."
- They're very likely to start most, if not all, sentences with "It is" or "It was" such as: "It was Sam had the best coney stew."

BREE

example of Bree and surrounding settlements: a melodic, high-pitched brogue

example of Bree-land in terms of the countryside beyond town: a forlorn, light-pitched brogue

DORWINION 

   It is important to note that the general commonality in all of the accents and regional dialects of Dorwinion is that each are based on a clear definition of vowel and consonant separation. Dorwinions, even when drawling or clipped, there is still a clearness to their articulation of letter sounds.

DORWINION - FROM VINCAER

a smooth, lilting accent with elongated or drawn-out vowels often described as lyrical and rhythmic in a more drumming fashion than anything melodic or sing-song.

example: a smooth lilt with elongated vowels

DORWINION - NORTHERN

a narrow, clipped and quick-spoken accent spoken at higher octaves with 'or's often pronounced 'ar' and instead of 'oh' or 'o' it is 'ah', 'ff' are 'v' and vowels are rather quick in spoken succession.

example: a high-spoken voice with a narrow, clipped-sounding accent

DORWINION - SOUTHERN

a husky, drawling accent where 'o' and 'a' often is spoken with an elongated 'e' sound and 'ould' often gets its 'l' sound lost in the roll of the vowels. 

example: a husky drawl with accented vowels

DORWINION - EASTERN

an accent often described as being deep, husky or guttural and is spoken from the diaphragm or throat with languid, drawn-out vowels and sharp consonants such as 'ow's and 'oy's snipped into 'ai's and 'y's lost to 'ah's. 

example: a low, husky voice with long vowels and sharp consonants

DORWINION - WESTERN

a narrow, clipped-sounding accent with 'th's replaced with 'd's and if ending in 't's the sound is dropped entirely. Vowels and consonants are often mashed together in the narrow way in which the language is spoken as if rushed or there is too much to be said in so little time.

example: a quick-spoken and clipped-sounding accent

DORWINION - LOW CASTE - GYPSIES AND PIRATES

a blend of Dorwinion accents as well as some minor influences of Rhovanion. Often drawling and clipped in the same vein of speech, elongating and drawing-out some vowels but drumming out others in quick succession. Some consonants are inflected with a husky, throatiness common to the east and southern areas of Dorwinion while other consonants are given to being pitched higher similar to those of the north. It is most common for the mashing of vowels, consonants and words alike of the western-living Dorwinions to find home in the tongues of the lower caste. This makes it often difficult to understand gypsies and pirates unless knowing their queer, blended dialect in some fashion. This can be a great advantage and a great disadvantage to this caste in making their accent nearly a language all its own.

example: a queer blend of Dorwinion accents

GONDOR

   It is important to note that the way in which those of Gondor, the common tongue of the West, speak is a fluid, soft manner as those as to give every consonant and vowel its own time, place and position in language. This means that those of Gondor speak in a way in which is monocentric and mora-timed, giving each vowel a sense of purity without inflection or variation within the usage. A vowel will have a singular, phonetic sound. 'I' will always be 'eye' and not 'ee' or 'ai' for example. Too, Gondor, for the majority, lacks the oral use of 'th', a sound which require the production of sound made from the tongue being placed between the upper and lower teeth.  Instead of sounding 'th', the sound is broken up and is otherwise produced as a separate 't' and a separate 'h'. What sets the Gondor tongue apart from other languages within Middle-Earth is its use of pitch. The pitch, or tone, in which used can alter the very meaning of the word and this is more commonly used amongst the nobility where back-handed compliments, word games and the sleight of tongue is an art form.

DOL-AMROTH - NOBILITY

best defined as being 'softly-spoken' and 'well-timed' as though every word was poetry or a poem in and of itself, which commonly earns the nobility of Dol-Amroth the descriptor of being lyrical and melodic in sound. Vowels, while pure and phonetic, are often given a faint elongation and consonants a touch more defined, as though softness and hardness were constantly at war in their language or were a man and woman dancing.

example: a soft, well-spoken voice with a pitch accent

DOL-AMROTH - COMMON

where nobility is soft and well-timed, the common caste of Dol-Amroth differs. Somewhat rough and guttural, as though speaking from one's core while the breath is being held - the common man or woman is quick-spoken with their phonetic vowels and consonants that sometimes crash into one another in the speed to which they speak. The lowest of society often speak far more quickly than those higher, given that time is precious for dock-workers and this can make for interesting adjustments to the language with slang more common in the pitch than in the words used.

example: a rough, quick-spoken voice with a pitch accent

PELARGIR - NOBILITY

similar to those of Dol-Amroth in use of a monocentric and phonetic pitch accent, those of Pelargir differ in small but unique ways. While vowels are still monocentric they are less stressed, giving more focus and strength to the harder-sounding consonants. It is quite common to add secondary consonants to the language, especially in names, so as to further diminish vowel presence. 

example: well-spoken with an accent of hard, elongated consonants

PELARGIR - COMMON

still yet similar to those of Dol-Amroth's common caste in being relative to their own nobility, this is where those of Pelargir cease to share too much else in common with the other port-city of Gondor. While yes, focusing in their monocentric and phonetic language in heavier use of consonants rather than vowels, the common caste of Pelargir therein becomes something more. Rumored to be at the fault of Corsair 'blending', the common caste of Pelargir takes on some flares in their language, adding voiced dental fricatives such as 'th' though the sound is more akin to 'ttthh' and is elongated, almost hissed. Too, the common caste of Pelargir have taken on airs of Corsair language in the way in which their language and way of speaking is impacted more on emotion and emphatic phrasing than in pitch. Due to this uncommon variation within their language, it is common that this caste gesticulates with their hands. When speaking with foreigners or those of nobility, the common caste is quick to ensure they're understood in their abnormal speech pattern by asking because even they are aware they differ. 

example: quick-spoken with an accent of sharp, drawn-out consonants

RHOVANION

   While those of Gondor are fond of putting emphasis on their consonants and those of Dorwinion are fond of putting their own upon vowels, those of Rhovanion are balanced. Where some languages subsist with being spoken from the throat, the diaphragm or even the stomach, those of Rhovanion typically sound as though they're speaking from the back of their throat. Similar to that of Rohirric, the common language of Rhovanion known as Dalish, is fond of using a wide variety of mutations within it's own language which are behold to the way in which a word is said such as soft, nasal, or aspirate. This is not the same as a pitch accent. 

LAKETOWN

more common to inflect vowel and consonant usage when speaking due to the various cultures impacting the local dialect and are often known for speaking swiftly. The docksides are known for heavily using slang and mashing words together as though rushed due to lack of time or perhaps having little regard for the individuality of words.

Due to being the predominant 'accent' spoken in this playable region - they lack a defined accent. 

SOUTHGLAIN

often confused with Dorwinion gypsy and Laketown docksides, Southglain is heavily blended in accents due to the constant ebb and flow of passing travelers carrying their own sounds and dialects. Due to this, Southglain has little sound of its own.

ALDOTH, GEORGSHOLT, HIGH BRIDGE, and UTTERBY

similar to Laketown and the rest of Rhovanion, these small towns scattered along the River Running do not much carry their own sound to individualize them. 

BEORNING

it is not so much the differing of sound than it is the difference in the way in which they speak. Beorning take their time, are slow, polite and thoughtful and not in the rushed manner in which other folk can be. It can be said, due to their respectful and thoughtful way of speaking that they're 'honeyed' or 'pouring honey in one's ears' with their manner.

ROHAN

  Rohirric is perhaps the most complex of all the languages spoken in terms of sound. Each vowel, whether soft or hard, or consonant, whether soft or hard, has levels of mutation based on 'soft', 'nasal' and 'aspirate' when spoken, the latter two of which are less commonly an issue when spoken whereas the former is the most varied in mutation used. These mutations, similar to a pitch, will adjust, alter and evolve any spoken word with new meaning. Further unlike a pitch accent, these are not just the same word with multiple meanings based on a pitch, instead every mutation will be an individual word. So with a nasal mutation you might say apple and it means apple but if you use an aspirate mutation, it actually means tree or mountain for a broad example. Vowels are traditional pronounced more central, open front and with an unrounded vowel sound which causes such sounds as 'lo' to be more as 'loh'. There is a sense of pure vowel phonetics to Rohirric, given that in uses of 'eo', the 'e' is pronounced as 'eh' and the 'o' is given individuality and separation. Though, in that same vein, their is mutation present in such terms as 'wyn', 'en' and 'ain' when speaking and these mutations depend wholly upon the words spoken and any emphatic impact used.

ROHIRRIM - NOBILITY

nobility, as is expected, speak in a more educated, clear and usually concise manner. Less prone to slang, rushing or evolving with the usage of outside influences, the Rohirric of nobility is well-balanced in terms of how it is spoken. Not hard, nor soft, not gruff nor languid, the speech of Rohan's nobility is more evenly keeled and varied. Due to being quite similar to Dalish, sometimes Rohiric accents are difficult to place though the spoken words obviously would be due to their language differences.

example: well-spoken with a subtle accent

ROHIRRIM - COMMON

commonly speaking a more rushed and slang-ridden dialect, the common caste of Rohan still maintain the even-keeled balance of their vowels and consonants and make use of the various mutations common to Rohirric. Due to sharing so many qualities with Dalish, their accents can be difficult to decipher though when heard, even when speaking Dalish or Westron, they commonly are described as speaking 'country' or 'rustic' to outsiders in terms of accent.

example: with a subtle, rustic-sounding accent