return

appendix f 1483
abandoning the Elven-speech, save only those few that held still
to their ancient friendship with the Eldar. In the years of their
power the Númenóreans had maintained many forts and havens
upon the western coasts of Middle-earth for the help of their
ships; and one of the chief of these was at Pelargir near the
Mouths of Anduin. There Adûnaic was spoken, and mingled
with many words of the languages of lesser men it became a
Common Speech that spread thence along the coasts among all
that had dealings with Westernesse.
After the Downfall of Númenor, Elendil led the survivors of
the Elf-friends back to the North-western shores of Middleearth.
There many already dwelt who were in whole or part of
Númenórean blood; but few of them remembered the Elvish
speech. All told the Dúnedain were thus from the beginning far
fewer in number than the lesser men among whom they dwelt
and whom they ruled, being lords of long life and great power
and wisdom. They used therefore the Common Speech in their
dealing with other folk and in the government of their wide
realms; but they enlarged the language and enriched it with many
words drawn from elven-tongues.
In the days of the Númenórean kings this ennobled Westron
speech spread far and wide, even among their enemies; and it
became used more and more by the Dúnedain themselves, so
that at the time of the War of the Ring the elven-tongue was
known to only a small part of the peoples of Gondor, and spoken
daily by fewer. These dwelt mostly in Minas Tirith and the
townlands adjacent, and in the land of the tributary princes of
Dol Amroth. Yet the names of nearly all places and persons in
the realm of Gondor were of Elvish form and meaning. A few
were of forgotten origin, and descended doubtless from the days
before the ships of the Númenóreans sailed the Sea; among
these were Umbar, Arnach and Erech; and the mountain-names
Eilenach and Rimmon. Forlong was also a name of the same sort.
Most of the Men of the northern regions of the West-lands
were descended from the Edain of the First Age, or from their
close kin. Their languages were, therefore, related to the Adûnaic,
and some still preserved a likeness to the Common Speech.
Of this kind were the peoples of the upper vales of Anduin: the
Beornings, and the Woodmen of Western Mirkwood; and