Languages in the Game

[Fieranor of Imladris]

The Adventurer's Companion clarified and expanded the languages various characters are able to speak; I am using a house rule allowing everyone to speak some form and competence of Westron. The following chart covers the rest...

Culture	Primary Language	Secondary Language	Notes
Bardings and Men of Lake-town	Dalish	-	Bardings speak what can be described as a very old form of the Westron (the common tongue).
Beornings and Woodmen	Vale of Anduin-tongue	-	The language of the many folk of the Vale of Anduin is an old form of Westron, closely related to Dalish.
Men of Bree	Westron	-	While the Men of Bree claim to be the descendants of the first Men to wander West of the world, few know anything of their heritage.
Dunlendings	Dunland-tongue	-	The Dunland-tongue is an ancient speech, once spoken in many valleys of the Mark of the Riders.
All Dwarves	Local-tongue	Dwarvish (secret tongue)	All Dwarves speak the tongue of the local communities of Men, but preserve the knowledge of their 'secret language'.
Dwarves of the Lonely Mountain	Dalish	Dwarvish (secret tongue)	The Dwarves of Erebor speak the tongue of the Bardings, but preserve the knowledge of their 'secret language'.
Elves of Lórien	Grey-elven (Sindarin)	-	The Silvan Elves of Lórien seldom use any tongue but that of their Lord and Lady.
Elves of Mirkwood	Grey-elven (Sindarin)	Woodland Elvish	The Silvan Elves used to speak an original Woodland-tongue, but are gradually embracing the use of Sindarin.
Elves of Rivendell	Grey-elven (Sindarin)	High-elven (Quenya)	The Elves of Rivendell use Sindarin daily, and the Ancient Tongue for ceremony, in song and in high matters of lore.
Hobbits of the Shire	Westron	-	Hobbits have forgotten their native languages, and use Westron, preserving the use of only a few words and names of their own.
Rangers of the North and Men of Minas Tirith	Westron	Grey-elven (Sindarin)	The native language of the Dúnedain is Westron (Common Speech). Some still learn the Sindarin Elven-tongue, as it is handed on from generation-to-generation.
Riders of Rohan	Rohan-tongue	Grey-elven (Sindarin)	The tongue spoken in Rohan is related to the language of the Anduin Vales. Since the crowning of Thengel King the language of Gondor is spoken at court.
Wayward Elves	Woodland-elvish	Grey-elven (Sindarin)	The Wayward Elves favor the use of their original Woodland-tongue, and use Sindarin only when dealing with others.
Wild Hobbits	Vale of Anduin-tongue	-	The language of the many folk of the Vale of Anduin is an old form of Westron, closely related to Dalish.