Black Speech

About

Black Speech is a fictional language created by J.R.R. Tolkien for his Middle-earth legendarium. It was designed to be the sole language of Mordor, intended by Sauron to unify his dominion. However, it never fully replaced other languages, and by the end of the Third Age, it had influenced Orcish dialects but was not widely used. The language is known for its harsh, guttural sounds, including sh, gh, and zg, which Tolkien crafted to evoke a sense of malevolence. The most well-known example of Black Speech is the inscription on the One Ring: Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk agh burzum-ishi krimpatul, translating to "One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." This inscription showcases the language's ominous tone and serves as a central element in Tolkien's narrative. Despite its limited development, Black Speech has become iconic in fantasy literature for its dark and menacing character.