Linguistic Archaeology: Tolkien Dwarf Language

Tolkien Dwarf Dictionary

1. Azaghâl (Presumably an 'outer name' or title. Not an inner name.)
2. Mahal (Aulë, known to the dwarves as the Maker.)
3. Azanulbizar ('Dimrill Dale' lit: "Shadows of streams/rills" or "Dark stream dale")
4. Mîm (A Petty-Dwarf, possibly an 'inner name')
5. Barazinbar ('Redhorn' [Caradhras])
6. Baraz (Red)
7. Narag-zâram ('Black-lake', early name, Mirrormere?)
8. Bundushathûr ('Cloudyhead')
9. Shathûr ('Clouds')
10. Nargûn (Mordor, and Sauron, lit: "Black one/place")
11. Buzundush ('Blackroot', earlier name of the Silverlode)
12. Nar(u)kuthûn (Nargothrond, possible later name)
13. Felakgundu (Cave-hewer; epessë of Finrod. Origin of Felagund)
14. Nulukkhizdîn (Nargothrond, the Petty-Dwarvish name)
15. Gabilân ('Great River'. a portion of the river Gelion)
16. Sigin-tarâg (The Longbeards, the house of Durin)
17. Gabilgathol ('Great Fortress' [Belegost])
18. Sharbhund (Amon Rûdh, possibly meaning 'Bald Hill' as is in Sindarin)
19. Gamil Zirak ('Old Spike', Nickname of a Firebeard smith)
20. Tharkûn (Gandalf, said to mean 'Staff-man')
21. Gundabad (Mount Gundabad)
22. Tumunzahar ('Hollowbold' [Nogrod])
23. Ibun (A Petty-Dwarf, possibly an 'inner name')
24. Udushinbar (Earlier name of Bundushathûr)
25. Kibil-nâla (The name of the Silverlode)
26. Uruktharbun (Earlier name of Khazad-dûm or Azanulbizar, meaning unknown)
27. Khazad-dûm (Dwarf-mansion, Dwarrowdelf' [later known as Moria])
28. Zigil-nâd (earlier name of the Silverlode)
29. Kheled-zâram ('glass-lake', i.e. Mirrormere)
30. Zirakinbar ('Silverhorn', earlier name of Zirakzigil)
31. Khîm (A Petty-Dwarf, possibly an 'inner name')
32. Zirakzigil ('Silvertine' [Celebdil])
33. Zirak ('Spike')
34. -âb (abstract collective?)
35. -b (abstract collective?)
36. kheled (glass, mirror)
37. ‘aglâb (spoken language)
38. Khuzd (Dwarf / Dwarves)
39. Khazâd (Dwarf / Dwarves)
40. ‘aya (upon)
41. ‘ai- (upon)
42. Khuzdul (Dwarvish language, lit. "Dwarf-of[gen.]")
43. ‘azan (dark, dim)
44. kibil (silver, the metal)
45. ‘iglishmêk (sign-language of the Dwarves)
46. ma- (passive participle?)
47. ‘inbar (horn)
48. mazarb (written documents, records)
49. ‘ûl (streams)
50. mazarbul (records [the Chamber of Mazarbul, Book of Mazarbul])
51. ‘uzbad (lord)
52. mên* (2nd person plural, "you" - Nom.* / Acc.)
53. mênu (2nd person plural, "you" - Nom.* / Acc.)
54. ‘uzn (dimness, shadow)
55. -n (one, person or place)
56. -ân (one, person or place)
57. -în (one, person or place)
58. -ûn (one, person or place)
59. nâla’ (path, course, river-course or bed)
60. bark (axe / axes)
61. baruk (axe / axes)
62. narâg (black)
63. bizar (dale or valley)
64. bizâr? (dale or valley)
65. Rukhs (Orc / Orcs)
66. Rakhâs (Orc / Orcs)
67. bund (head)
68. sigin (long)
69. buz (root?)
70. bûz (root?)
71. sulûn (fall, descend swiftly)
72. salôn (fall, descend swiftly)
73. duban (valley)
74. sharb (bald?)
75. dûm (delving, subterranean mansion, hall)
76. tûm (delving, subterranean mansion)
77. dush (black, dark?)
78. dûsh? (black, dark?)
79. tum (hall / delving)
80. felak (tool for cutting stone)
81. thark (staff / staffs)
82. tharuk* (staff / staffs)
83. *felek (hew rock)
84. turg* (beard / beards)
85. tarâg (beard / beards)
86. gabil (great)
87. -u (of / accusative marker)
88. gamil (old?)
89. -ul (of, patronymic genitive ending)
90. gathol (fortress)
91. zahar (hollow?)
92. gund (underground hall)
93. zâram (pool, lake)
94. gunud (delve underground, excavate, tunnel)
95. zigil (silver, the colour)
96. hund (hill?)



Popularity of Use
A       %      E      %       I       %      O       %        U         %
59  61%     8     8%      27   28%   3       3%      42   43%

B       %      C      %       D       %      F       %        G         %
30  31%     0     0%      24  23%     3      3%       21  21%

H       %      J      %       K       %      L       %        M         %
30  31%     0     0%      27  28%     29  30%      18  18%

N       %      P      %       Q       %      R       %        S         %
39  40%     0     0%      0     0%      36  40%       15  15%

T       %      V      %       W       %      X       %        Y         %
14  14%     0     0%      0       0%      0      0%       1       1%

Z       %
30  31%


Popularity of use
61% A:
43% U, A: -u (of / accusative marker),
40% R, N, U, A: -ûn (one, person or place), -ân (one, person or place), -n (one, person or place),
31% B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: Baraz (Red), ‘azan (dark, dim), ‘uzn (dimness, shadow), buz (root?), bûz (root?), zahar (hollow?), -âb (abstract collective?), -b (abstract collective?),
30 % L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: nâla’ (path, course, river-course or bed), -ul (of, patronymic genitive ending), ‘ûl (streams),
28% K, I, L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: bizar (dale or valley), bizâr? (dale or valley), -în (one, person or place), baruk (axe / axes), bark (axe / axes), ‘ai- (upon), kibil (silver, the metal), ‘inbar (horn), Ibun (A Petty-Dwarf, possibly an 'inner name'), Kibil-nâla (The name of the Silverlode), Zirakinbar ('Silverhorn', earlier name of Zirakzigil), Zirak ('Spike'), Azanulbizar ('Dimrill Dale' lit: "Shadows of streams/rills" or "Dark stream dale"), Barazinbar ('Redhorn' [Caradhras]),
23% D, K, I, L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: Nulukkhizdîn (Nargothrond, the Petty-Dwarvish name), Khuzd (Dwarf / Dwarves), Khazâd (Dwarf / Dwarves), Khuzdul (Dwarvish language, lit. "Dwarf-of[gen.]"), hund (hill?), bund (head), duban (valley), ‘uzbad (lord),
21% G, D, K, I, L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: Zigil-nâd (earlier name of the Silverlode), Gundabad (Mount Gundabad), gund (underground hall), gunud (delve underground, excavate, tunnel), gabil (great), zigil (silver, the colour), Gabilân ('Great River'. a portion of the river Gelion), Zirakzigil ('Silvertine' [Celebdil]), ‘aglâb (spoken language), Azaghâl (Presumably an 'outer name' or title. Not an inner name.), narâg (black), Nargûn (Mordor, and Sauron, lit: "Black one/place"),
18% M, G, D, K, I, L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: gamil (old?), zâram (pool, lake), dûm (delving, subterranean mansion, hall), mazarb (written documents, records), mazarbul (records [the Chamber of Mazarbul, Book of Mazarbul]), ma- (passive participle?), Khazad-dûm (Dwarf-mansion, Dwarrowdelf' [later known as Moria]), Khîm (A Petty-Dwarf, possibly an 'inner name'), Gamil Zirak ('Old Spike', Nickname of a Firebeard smith), Mîm (A Petty-Dwarf, possibly an 'inner name'), Narag-zâram ('Black-lake', early name, Mirrormere?), Mahal (Aulë, known to the dwarves as the Maker.),
15% S, M, G, D, K, I, L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: dush (black, dark?), dûsh? (black, dark?), sulûn (fall, descend swiftly), sharb (bald?), sigin (long), Rukhs (Orc / Orcs), Rakhâs (Orc / Orcs), Sharbhund (Amon Rûdh, possibly meaning 'Bald Hill' as is in Sindarin), Udushinbar (Earlier name of Bundushathûr), Buzundush ('Blackroot', earlier name of the Silverlode),
14% T, S, M, G, D, K, I, L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: tûm (delving, subterranean mansion), tum (hall / delving), thark (staff / staffs), tharuk* (staff / staffs), turg* (beard / beards), tarâg (beard / beards), Nar(u)kuthûn (Nargothrond, possible later name), Sigin-tarâg (The Longbeards, the house of Durin), Tumunzahar ('Hollowbold' [Nogrod]), Uruktharbun (Earlier name of Khazad-dûm or Azanulbizar, meaning unknown), Tharkûn (Gandalf, said to mean 'Staff-man'), Bundushathûr ('Cloudyhead'), Shathûr ('Clouds'),
8% E, T, S, M, G, D, K, I, L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: mên* (2nd person plural, "you" - Nom.* / Acc.), mênu (2nd person plural, "you" - Nom.* / Acc.), ‘iglishmêk (sign-language of the Dwarves), Kheled-zâram ('glass-lake', i.e. Mirrormere), kheled (glass, mirror),
3% F, O, E, T, S, M, G, D, K, I, L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: salôn (fall, descend swiftly), gathol (fortress), Gabilgathol ('Great Fortress' [Belegost]), Felakgundu (Cave-hewer; epessë of Finrod. Origin of Felagund), felak (tool for cutting stone), *felek (hew rock),
1% Y, F, O, E, T, S, M, G, D, K, I, L, B, Z, H, R, N, U, A: 'aya (upon),
0% X, W, V, Q, P, J, C


Conclusion: they originate in the A linguistic subgroup like Tolkien's Eldar/elves). And like eldar/elven we see a timeline of linguistic development:

At 43% Proto-dwarves language begin with the accusation marker -u.

At 40% they are apparently scattered.

At 31% they gather collectively, possibly at a hollow (zahar) or more specifically Red-hollow (Baraz-zahar). It is dark, dim, and shadowy.

At 30% there are streams, possibly feeding a rivercourse (nâla’).

At 28% silver is discovered in the nâla river bed. It is called Kibil-nâla (The name of the Silverlode). The dwarves refer to these early folk as petty-dwarves. A known entity from this time is Ibun (A Petty-Dwarf, possibly an 'inner name'). They settle into dimrilldale (Azanulbizar).

At 23% They are the Khuzd (Dwarf / Dwarves) and Khazâd (Dwarf / Dwarves). Some are ruled by their first lord identified as ‘uzbad. Nulukkhizdîn (Nargothrond, the Petty-Dwarvish name) is a known entity at this time.

21% There is settlement on the Gabilân ('Great River'. a portion of the river Gelion). The excavation of Gundabad (Mount Gundabad) begins. Nargûn (Mordor, and Sauron, lit: "Black one/place") is settled at this time under Sauron. ‘aglâb is a spoken language from this time. Azaghâl (Presumably an 'outer name' or title. Not an inner name.) Is an entity from this time.

18% First written records are now kept in the Chamber of Mazarbul (Book of Mazarbul). There are various entities known from this time:
• Mahal (Aulë, known to the dwarves as the Maker.)
• Khîm (A Petty-Dwarf, possibly an 'inner name')
• Gamil Zirak ('Old Spike', Nickname of a Firebeard smith)
• Mîm (A Petty-Dwarf, possibly an 'inner name')
Excavations at Khazad-dûm (Dwarf-mansion, Dwarrowdelf', later known as Moria) begin.

15% Orcs (Rukhs/Rakhâs) are encountered.

14% Sigin-tarâg (The Longbeards, the house of Durin) rise to prominence. Tharkûn (Gandalf, 'Staff-man') appears amongst the Dwarves at this time.

8% ‘iglishmêk (sign-language of the Dwarves) is now used. Glass making and mirror making is common.

3% the first fortress (gathol) is established. The Great Fortress Gabilgathol (Belegost) is established- though this may be an expansion of the smaller Gathol.