Sindarin

Sindarin is a major Elvish language created by J. R. R. Tolkien as part of his Middle-earth legendarium. It is the language of the Grey Elves (Sindar) and became the most widely spoken Elvish tongue in Middle-earth during much of the Second and Third Ages. In the later periods it functioned as a common tongue among Elves and many Men, and it influenced the linguistic landscape of Tolkien’s world.

Origins and development: Sindarin derives from the Common Eldarin branch of Elvish languages and was developed by the Grey Elves in Beleriand. It diverged from Quenya, which remained the ceremonial language of many Elves. Through contact with other peoples, including Númenóreans and Men of various realms, Sindarin was shaped and spread, becoming a practical lingua franca in many regions of Middle-earth by the late Second and early Third Ages.

Writing and pronunciation: Sindarin is typically written with the Tengwar script, one of Tolkien’s Elvish writing systems, though it can also be rendered in Latin letters. Its phonology features a distinct set of consonants and vowels, with a relatively flexible word order and a rich system of word formation through inflection and compounding.

In Tolkien’s writings: Sindarin is spoken by many prominent characters, such as Legolas, Elrond, and Galadriel. It appears throughout The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings, and Tolkien provided substantial vocabulary and grammatical notes to support its use in the narratives.