Editing Cirth (section)

{{short description|Artificial script in the fantasy works of J. R. R. Tolkien}}
{{Infobox writing system
| name      = Cirth
| sample    = Cirth word.png
| caption   = The word "Cirth" written using the Cirth in the Angerthas Daeron mode
| imagesize = 180px
| type      = [[Alphabet]]
| languages = [[Khuzdul]], [[Sindarin]], [[Quenya]], [[Westron]], [[English language|English]]
| creator   = [[J. R. R. Tolkien]]
| iso15924  = Cirt
| direction = Varies
}}
The '''Cirth''' ({{IPA|sjn|ˈkirθ}}, meaning "[[runes]]"; sg. '''certh''' {{IPA|sjn|ˈkɛrθ|}})&nbsp;is a semi‑[[artificial script]], based on real‑life [[runic alphabet]]s, one of [[Tolkien's scripts|several scripts invented]] by [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] for the [[constructed language]]s he devised and used in his works. ''Cirth'' is written with a capital letter when referring to the [[writing system]]; the letters themselves can be called ''cirth''.

In the fictional history of [[Middle-earth]], the original ''Certhas'' was created by the [[Sindar]] (or Grey Elves) for their language, [[Sindarin]]. Its extension and elaboration was known as the ''Angerthas Daeron'', as it was attributed to the Sinda Daeron, despite the fact that it was most probably arranged by the [[Noldor]] in order to represent the sounds of other languages like [[Quenya]] and [[Telerin]].

Although it was later largely replaced by the [[Tengwar]], the Cirth was nonetheless adopted by the [[Dwarf (Middle-earth)|Dwarves]] to write down both their [[Khuzdul]] language (''Angerthas Moria'') and the languages of [[Man (Middle-earth)|Men]] (''Angerthas Erebor''). The Cirth was also adapted, in its oldest and simplest form, by various races including Men and even [[Orc (Middle-earth)|Orcs]].