Editing Westron (section)

== Context ==

{{further|Languages constructed by J. R. R. Tolkien}}

From his schooldays, [[J. R. R. Tolkien]] was, in the words of his biographer [[John Garth (author)|John Garth]], "effusive about philology"; his schoolfriend Rob Gilson called him "quite a great authority on [[etymology]]".{{sfn|Garth|2003|p=16}} Tolkien was a professional [[Philology|philologist]], a scholar of comparative and historical [[linguistics]]. He was especially familiar with [[Old English]] and related languages. He remarked to the poet and ''[[The New York Times]]'' book reviewer [[Harvey Breit]] that "I am a philologist and all my work is philological"; he explained to his American publisher [[Houghton Mifflin]] that this was meant to imply that his work was "all of a piece, and <em>fundamentally linguistic</em> in inspiration. ... The [[Languages constructed by J. R. R. Tolkien|invention of languages]] is the foundation. The 'stories' were made rather to provide a world for the languages than the reverse. To me a name comes first and the story follows."<ref name="Letter 165" group=T>{{harvnb|Carpenter|2023|loc=#165 to [[Houghton Mifflin]], 30 June 1955 }}</ref>

Tolkien created a large family of [[Elvish languages (Middle-earth)|Elvish languages]], the best-known and most developed being [[Quenya]] and [[Sindarin]].{{sfn|Hostetter|2013}} In addition, he sketched in the [[Men in Middle-earth|Mannish]] languages of Westron's precursor, [[Adûnaic]], and Rohirric;{{sfn|Fauskanger|2012}} the Dwarvish language of [[Khuzdul]];<ref group=T>{{harvnb|Carpenter|2023|loc=#176 to [[Naomi Mitchison]], 8 December 1955 }}</ref> the [[Ent]]ish language;<ref name="Appendix F" group=T>{{harvnb|Tolkien|1955}}, Appendix F</ref> and the [[Black Speech]] of the [[Orc]]s.<ref name="Words, Phrases and Passages" group=T>{{cite journal |last=Tolkien |first=J. R. R. |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |title=Words, Phrases and Passages in Various Tongues in 'The Lord of the Rings' |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=17 |year=2007 |pages=11–12}}</ref>