Editing Cirth (section)

== Internal history and description ==

===''Certhas''===

In the Appendix E to ''[[The Return of the King]]'', Tolkien writes that the [[Sindar]] of [[Beleriand]] first developed an [[alphabet]] for their language some time between the invention of the [[Tengwar]] by [[Fëanor]] ([[Years of the Trees|YT]] 1250) and the introduction thereof to [[Middle-earth]] by the Exiled [[Noldor]] towards the end of the [[First Age]].<ref name="Tolkien 1955">{{cite book |title=[[The Return of the King]] |at=Appendix E |first=J. R. R. |last=Tolkien |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |location=London |publisher=George Allen & Unwin |year=1955}}</ref>

This alphabet was devised to represent only the sounds of their [[Sindarin]] language and its letters were mostly used for inscribing names or brief memorials on wood, stone or metal, hence their angular shapes and straight lines.<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> In [[Sindarin]] these letters were named ''cirth'' (sing. ''certh''), from the Elvish [[Root (linguistics)|root]] ''*kir-'' meaning "to cleave, to cut".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eldamo.org/content/words/word-285722173.html |title=Sindarin Words: ''certh''|author=<!--Not stated--> |website=eldamo.org |access-date=2019-03-31}}</ref> An [[abecedarium]] of ''cirth'', consisting of the runes listed in due order, was commonly known as '''''Certhas''''' ({{IPA|sjn|ˈkɛrθɑs|}}, meaning "rune-rows" in Sindarin and loosely translated as "runic alphabet"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eldamo.org/content/words/word-1641782601.html |title= Sindarin Words: ''certhas''|author=<!--Not stated--> |website=eldamo.org |access-date=2019-03-31}}</ref>).

The oldest ''cirth'' were the following:<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/>
{| class="wikitable"
|- align="center"
! rowspan="4" | Consonants
| [[File:Certh 1.svg|20px|ᚹ]] ''p'' ||[[File:Certh 2.svg|20px|ᚱ]] ''b'' ||[[File:Certh 5.svg|20px|ᛳ]] ''mh'' ||[[File:Certh 6.svg|20px|ᛒ]] ''m'' ||
|- align="center"
| [[File:Certh 8.svg|20px|ᛚ]] ''t'' || [[File:Certh 9.svg|20px|ᚨ]] ''d'' || [[File:Certh 12.svg|20px|ᛏ]] ''n'' || ||
|- align="center"
| [[File:Certh 18.svg|20px|ᚴ]] ''k'' || [[File:Certh 19.svg|20px|ᚠ]] ''g'' || [[File:Certh 22.svg|20px|ᛉ]] ''ng'' || ||
|- align="center"
| [[File:Certh 29.svg|20px|ᛕ]] ''r'' ||[[File:Certh 31.svg|20px|ᛅ]] ''l'' || [[File:Certh 13.svg|20px|ᚳ]] ~ [[File:Certh 15.svg|20px|ᚳ]] ''h'' or ''s'' ||[[File:Certh 35.svg|20px|ᚲ]] ''s'' or ''h'' ||[[File:Certh 36.svg|20px|ᚷ]] ''ss''
|- align="center"
| style="border-right:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-left:none;"|
|- align ="center"
!Vowels
| [[File:Certh 39.svg|20px|ᛁ]] ''i'' || [[File:Certh 42.svg|20px|ᛟ]] ''u'' || [[File:Certh 46.svg|20px|ᚺ]] ''e'' || [[File:Certh 50.svg|20px|ᚢ]] ''o'' ||
|}

The form of these letters was somewhat unsystematic, unlike later rearrangements and extensions that made them more [[featural script|featural]].<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> The ''cirth'' [[File:Certh 13.svg|16px]] and [[File:Certh 35.svg|16px]] were used for {{angbr|h}} and {{angbr|s}}, but varied as to which was which.<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> Many of the runes consisted of a single vertical line (or "stem") with an appendage (or "branch") attached to one or both sides. If the attachment was made on one side only, it was usually to the right, but "the reverse was not infrequent" and did not change the value of the letter.<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> (For example, the variants [[File:Certh 13.svg|20px]] or [[File:Certh 15.svg|20px]] specifically mentioned for ''h'' or ''s'', also [[File:Certh 8.svg|16px]] or [[File:Certh 10.svg|16px]] for ''t'', etc.).

=== ''Angerthas Daeron'' ===

In Beleriand, before the end of the [[First Age]], the ''Certhas'' was rearranged and further developed, partly under the influence of the [[Tengwar]] introduced by the Noldor. This reorganisation of the Cirth was commonly attributed to the [[Elf (Middle-earth)|Elf]] Daeron, [[minstrel]] and loremaster of King [[Thingol]] of [[Doriath (Middle-earth)|Doriath]]. Thus, the new system became known as the '''''Angerthas Daeron'''''<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> (where "angerthas" {{nowrap|{{IPA|sjn|ɑŋˈɡɛrθɑs|}}}} is from Sindarin {{nowrap|"an(d)"}} {{nowrap|{{IPA|sjn|ɑn(d)|}}}} + "certhas" {{IPA|sjn|ˈkɛrθɑs|}}, meaning "long rune-rows"<ref>{{cite web |url= https://eldamo.org/content/words/word-698537603.html|title= Sindarin Words: ''angerthas''|author=<!--Not stated-->|website=eldamo.org|access-date=2019-05-11}}</ref>).

In this arrangement, the assignment of values to each ''certh'' is systematic. The runes consisting of a stem and a branch attached to the right are used for [[voicelessness|voiceless]] [[stop consonant|stops]], while other sounds are allocated according to the following principles:<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/>
# adding a stroke to a branch adds [[Voiced consonant|voice]] (e.g., [[File:Certh 1.svg|16px]] {{IPA|[p]}} → [[File:Certh 2.svg|16px]] {{IPA|[b]}});
# moving the branch to the left indicates opening to a [[spirant]] (e.g., [[File:Certh 8.svg|16px]] {{IPA|[t]}} → [[File:Certh 10.svg|16px]] {{IPA|[θ]}});
# placing the branch on both sides of the stem adds [[Nasal consonant|voice and nasality]] (e.g., [[File:Certh 18.svg|16px]] {{IPA|[k]}} → [[File:Certh 22.svg|16px]] {{IPA|[ŋ]}}).

The ''cirth'' constructed in this way can therefore be arranged into series, each corresponding to a [[place of articulation]]:
* [[labial consonant]]s, based on [[File:Certh 1.svg|16px]];
* [[dental consonant]]s, based on [[File:Certh 8.svg|16px]];
* [[front consonant]]s, based on [[File:Certh 13.svg|16px]];
* [[velar consonant]]s, based on [[File:Certh 18.svg|16px]];
* [[labialized velar consonant]]s, based on [[File:Certh 23.svg|16px]].

Other letters introduced in this system include: [[File:Certh 48.svg|16px]] and {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 44.svg|16px]]}} for {{angbr|a}} and {{angbr|w}}, respectively; runes for [[long vowel]]s, evidently originated by doubling and [[Bind rune|binding]] the ''certh'' of the corresponding short vowel (e.g., {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 50.svg|16px]][[File:Certh 50.svg|16px]] {{angbr|oo}}}} → {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 51.svg|16px]] {{angbr|ō}});}} two [[front vowel]]s, probably stemming from ligatures of the corresponding [[back vowel]] with the {{angbr|i}}-''certh'' (i.e., {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 39.svg|16px]][[File:Certh 42.svg|16px]]}} → {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 45a.svg|16px]] {{angbr|ü}}}}, and {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 39.svg|16px]][[File:Certh 50.svg|16px]]}} → {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 52.svg|16px]] {{angbr|ö}});}} some [[Homorganic consonant#Consonant clustering|homorganic nasal + stop clusters]] (e.g., {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 38.svg|16px]] {{IPA|[nd]}}).}}

Back to the fictional history, since the new {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 13.svg|16px]]-series}} and {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 23.svg|16px]]-series}} encompass sounds which do not occur in Sindarin but are present in [[Quenya]], they were most probably introduced by the Exiled [[Noldor]]<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> who spoke Quenya as a language of knowledge.

By loan-translation, the Cirth became known in Quenya as ''Certar'' {{IPA|qya|ˈkɛrtar|}}, while a single ''certh'' was called ''certa'' {{IPA|qya|ˈkɛrta|}}.

After the Tengwar became the sole script used for writing, the ''Angerthas Daeron'' was essentially relegated to carved inscriptions. The Elves of the West, for the most part, abandoned the Cirth altogether, with the exception of the Noldor dwelling in the country of [[Eregion]], who maintained it in use<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> and made it known as '''''Angerthas Eregion'''''.

'''Note''': In this article, the runes of the ''Angerthas'' come with the same peculiar [[transliteration]] used by Tolkien in the Appendix E, which differs from the (Latin) spelling of both Quenya and Sindarin. The [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] transcription that follows is applicable to both languages, except where indicated otherwise.

<div style="overflow-x:auto;">
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space: nowrap;"
|+ style="text-align:left"| Regularly formed ''cirth''
|- align="center"
!rowspan="3"| Labial<br/>consonants !! colspan="2"| ''Certh''
| [[File:Certh 1.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 2.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 3.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 4.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 6.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 7.svg|20px]]
|- align="center"
!colspan="2"| <small>Transliteration</small>
| p || b || f || v || m{{ref label|ADmh|i}} || mh, mb
|- align="center"
!colspan="2"| <small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small>
| {{IPA|[p]}} || {{IPA|[b]}} || {{IPA|[f]}} || {{IPA|[v]}} || {{IPA|[m]}} || '''<small>({{abbr|S.|Sindarin}})</small>''' {{IPA|[ṽ]}}<br/>'''<small>({{abbr|Q.|Quenya}})</small>''' {{IPA|[mb]}}
|- align="center"
| colspan="3" style="border-right:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"|  || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"|  || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-left:none;"|
|- align="center"
!rowspan="3"| Dental<br/>consonants !! colspan="2"| ''Certh''
| [[File:Certh 8.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 9.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 10.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 11.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 12.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 38.svg|20px]] <span style="font-size:65%">or</span> [[File:Certh 38a.svg|20px]]
|- align="center"
!colspan="2"| <small>Transliteration</small>
| t || d || th || dh || n || nd{{ref label|ADnd|ii}}
|- align="center"
!colspan="2"| <small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small>
| {{IPA|[t]}} || {{IPA|[d]}} || {{IPA|[θ]}} || {{IPA|[ð]}} || {{IPA|[n]}} || {{IPA|[nd]}}
|- align="center"
| colspan="9" |
|- align="center"
!rowspan="4"| Front<br/>consonants{{nobold|{{ref label|ADA|iii}}}} !! colspan="2"| ''Certh''
| [[File:Certh 13.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 14.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 15.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 16.svg|20px]] || colspan="2"| [[File:Certh 17.svg|20px]]
|- align="center"
!colspan="2"| <small>Transliteration</small>
| ch{{ref label|ADch|iv}} || j{{ref label|ADj|v}} || sh{{ref label|ADsh|vi}} || zh || colspan="2"| nj{{ref label|ADgn|vii}}
|- align="center"
!rowspan="2"| <small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small> !! <small>({{abbr|N.|Noldorin Quenya}})</small>
| {{IPA|[c⁽<sup>ȷ̊</sup>⁾]}} || {{IPA|[ɟj]}} || {{IPA|[ç]}} || {{IPA|[ʝ]}} || colspan="2"| <span style="opacity:0;">ɟ</span>{{IPA|[ɲj]}} ← {{IPA|[ɲɟj]}}
|- align="center"
!<small>({{abbr|V.|Vanyarin Quenya}})</small>
| {{IPA|[t͡ʃ]}} || {{IPA|[d͡ʒ]}} || {{IPA|[ʃ]}} || {{IPA|[ʒ]}} || || {{IPA|[nd͡ʒ]}}
|- align="center"
| colspan="9" |
|- align="center"
!rowspan="3"| Velar<br/>consonants !! colspan="2"| ''Certh''
| [[File:Certh 18.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 19.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 20.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 21.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 22.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 33.svg|20px]]
|- align="center"
!colspan="2"| <small>Transliteration</small>
| k || g || kh || gh || ŋ || ng
|- align="center"
!colspan="2"| <small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small>
| {{IPA|[k]}} || {{IPA|[ɡ]}} || {{IPA|[x]}} || {{IPA|[ɣ]}} || {{IPA|[ŋ]}} || {{IPA|[ŋɡ]}}
|- align="center"
| colspan="9" |
|- align="center"
!rowspan="3"| Labiovelar<br/>consonants !! colspan="2"| ''Certh''
| [[File:Certh 23.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 24.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 25.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 26.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 28.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 27.svg|20px]]
|- align="center"
!colspan="2"| <small>Transliteration</small>
| kw<ref>{{cite journal |last=Tolkien |first=J. R. R. |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |date=2015-06-12 |title=The Feanorian Alphabet (Part 1) and Quenya Verb Structure: Qenya Grammar – Spelling and Transcription |url=http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma22.html |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=22 |page=66 |quote={{angbr|q}} ({{angbr|kw}}) consists of a lip-rounded ''k̊'' followed by a partly unvoiced ''w''-offglide (more marked medially than initially).}}</ref> || gw<ref name="PE22">{{cite journal |last=Tolkien |first=J. R. R. |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |date=2015-06-12 |title=The Feanorian Alphabet (Part 1) and Quenya Verb Structure: Qenya Grammar – Spelling and Transcription |url=http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma22.html |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=22 |page=66 |quote={{angbr|gw}} which only occurs in the medial group {{angbr|ngw}} is the voiced counterpart: a lip-rounded ''ɡ̊'' followed by a ''w''-offglide.}}</ref> || khw || ghw || nw{{ref label|ADngw|viii}} || ngw<ref name="PE22"/>
|- align="center"
! <small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small> !! <small>({{abbr|Q.|Quenya}})</small>
| {{IPA|[kʷ₍w̥₎]}} || {{IPA|[ɡʷw]}} || {{IPA|[ʍ]}} || {{IPA|[w]}} || style="padding-left: 0em; padding-right: 0em;" |{{IPA|[nʷw]}}←{{IPA|[ŋʷw]}} || {{IPA|[ŋɡʷw]}}
|}
</div>
<div style="overflow-x:auto;">
{| class="wikitable" style="white-space: nowrap;"
|+ style="text-align:left"| Additional ''cirth''
|- align="center"
!rowspan="3"| Consonants !! ''Certh''
| [[File:Certh 29.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 30.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 31.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 32.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 34.svg|20px]] <span style="font-size:65%">or</span> [[File:Certh 35.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 36.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 54.svg|20px]]
|- align="center"
!<small>Transliteration</small>
| r || rh || l || lh || s || ss <span style="font-size:65%">or</span> z{{ref label|ADB|ix}} || h{{ref label|ADC|x}}
|- align="center"
!<small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small>
| {{IPA|[r]}} || {{IPA|[r̥]}} || {{IPA|[l]}} || {{IPA|[l̥]}} || {{IPA|[s]}} || {{IPA|[sː]}} <span style="font-size:65%">or</span> {{IPA|[z]}} || {{IPA|[h]}}
|- align="center"
| colspan="2" style="border-right:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"| || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"|  || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"|  || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-right:none; border-left:none;"|  || style="padding-left: 2.825em; padding-right: 2.825em; border-left:none;"|
|- align="center"
!rowspan="3"| Approximants !! ''Certh''
|  || [[File:Certh 44.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 5.svg|20px]] ||  ||  ||  ||
|- align="center"
!<small>Transliteration</small>
|  || w || hw{{ref label|ADhw|xi}} ||  ||  ||  ||
|- align="center"
!<small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small>
|  || {{IPA|[w]}} || {{IPA|[ʍ]}} ||  ||  ||  ||
|- align="center"
| colspan="9" |
|- align="center"
!rowspan="3"| Vowels !! ''Certh''
| [[File:Certh 39.svg|20px]] || colspan="2"| [[File:Certh 42.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 46.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 48.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 50.svg|20px]] || 
|- align="center"
!<small>Transliteration</small>
| i, y || colspan="2"| u || e || a || o ||
|- align="center"
!<small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small>
| {{IPA|[i]}}, {{IPA|[j]}} || colspan="2"| {{IPA|[u]}} || {{IPA|[e]}} || {{IPA|[a]}} || {{IPA|[o]}} ||
|- align="center"
| colspan="9" |
|- align="center"
!rowspan="3"| Long<br/>vowels !! ''Certh''
|  || colspan="2"| [[File:Certh 43.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 47.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 49.svg|20px]] || [[File:Certh 51.svg|20px]] <span style="font-size:65%">or</span> [[File:Certh 51a.svg|20px]] ||
|- align="center"
!<small>Transliteration</small>
|  || colspan="2"| ū || ē || ā || ō ||
|- align="center"
!<small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small>
|  || colspan="2"| {{IPA|[uː]}} || {{IPA|[eː]}} || {{IPA|[aː]}} || {{IPA|[oː]}} ||
|- align="center"
| colspan="9" |
|- align="center"
!rowspan="3"| Fronted<br/>vowels !! ''Certh''
|  || colspan="2"| [[File:Certh 45.svg|20px]] <span style="font-size:65%">or</span> [[File:Certh 45a.svg|20px]] ||  ||  || [[File:Certh 52.svg|20px]] <span style="font-size:65%">or</span> [[File:Certh 52a.svg|20px]] ||
|- align="center"
!<small>Transliteration</small>
|  || colspan="2"| ü ||  ||  || ö ||
|- align="center"
!<small>[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]</small>
|  || colspan="2"| {{IPA|[y]}} ||  ||  || {{IPA|[œ]}} ||
|}
</div>

'''Notes:'''
{{ordered list|type=lower-roman
  |{{note|ADmh||According to the principles outlined above, the labial nasal would be assigned to the ''certh'' [[File:Certh 5.svg|16px]]. However, archaic Sindarin had two labial nasals: the [[bilabial nasal|occlusive]] {{IPA|[m]}}, and the [[Fricative#Nasalized fricatives|spirant]] {{IPA|[ṽ]}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Tolkien |first1= J. R. R. |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |date=2015-06-12 |title=The Feanorian Alphabet (Part 1) and Quenya Verb Structure: On Ælfwine's Spelling|url= http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma22.html |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=22 |page=67 |quote=But he knew the old sign for 'nasal ṽ' and sometimes represents this (espec. where it is an initial variant on ''m'') by {{angbr|mh}}.}}</ref> (spelt {{angbr|mh}}). Since the {{angbr|mh}} sound could best be represented by a reversal of the sign for {{angbr|m}} (to indicate its [[spirantization]]), the reversible [[File:Certh 6.svg|16px]] was given the value {{angbr|m}}, and [[File:Certh 7.svg|16px]] was assigned to {{angbr|mh}}.<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> The sound {{IPA|[ṽ]}} merged with {{IPA|[v]}} in later Sindarin.}}
  |{{note|ADnd||The ''certh'' [[File:Certh 38.svg|16px]] was not clearly related in shape to the dentals.<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/>}}
  |{{note|ADA||The {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 13.svg|16px]]-series,}} which represents the front consonants of Quenya, is essentially the Cirth counterpart to the Tengwar ''tyelpetéma'' (column III in the ''[http://at.mansbjorkman.net/teng_general.htm#consonants General Use]'').<br/>In this article, each ''certh'' of this series comes with two [[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]] transcriptions. The reason is that these consonants are realised as [[palatal consonant|palatals]] in Noldorin Quenya, but as [[postalveolar consonant|postalveolars]] in Vanyarin Quenya. Although the ''Angerthas Daeron'' was devised for the Noldorin [[Variety (linguistics)|variety]], it is deemed necessary to show the Vanyarin pronunciation as well, given that the very transliteration used by Tolkien is more akin to the Vanyarin [[Phonology#Terminology|phonology]].}}
  |{{note|ADch||The ''certh'' [[File:Certh 13.svg|16px]] indicates Quenya {{angbr|ty}}, which is pronounced {{nowrap|{{IPA|[c<sup>⁽</sup>ȷ̊<sup>⁾</sup>]}}}} in Noldorin<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Tolkien |first1=J. R. R. |author-link= J. R. R. Tolkien |date=2015-06-12 |title=The Feanorian Alphabet (Part 1) and Quenya Verb Structure: Qenya Grammar – Spelling and Transcription |url=http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma22.html |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=22 |page=66 |quote={{angbr|ty}} is pronounced as a 'front explosive' [c], as e.g. Hungarian ''ty''; but it is followed by an appreciable partly unvoiced ''y''-offglide<!--[ȷ̊᪻]-->.}}</ref> but is a [[voiceless postalveolar affricate]] {{IPA|[t͡ʃ]}} in Vanyarin.<ref name="RE">{{cite web |url=https://realelvish.net/pronunciation/quenya/ |title=Quenya pronunciation |website=RealElvish.net |access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref>}}
  |{{note|ADj||The ''certh'' [[File:Certh 14.svg|16px]] represents Quenya {{angbr|dy}}, formerly pronounced {{IPA|[ɟj]}}.<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Tolkien |first1=J. R. R. |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |date=2015-06-12 |title=The Feanorian Alphabet (Part 1) and Quenya Verb Structure: Qenya Grammar – Spelling and Transcription |url= http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma22.html |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=22 |page=66 |quote={{angbr|dy}} was formerly the voiced counterpart [ɟ] followed by a ''y''-offglide.}}</ref>}}
  |{{note|ADsh||The ''certh'' [[File:Certh 15.svg|16px]] stands for Quenya {{angbr|hy}}, which is a [[voiceless palatal fricative]] {{nowrap|{{IPA|[ç]}}}} in Noldorin<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Tolkien |first1=J. R. R. |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |date=2015-06-12 |title=The Feanorian Alphabet (Part 1) and Quenya Verb Structure: Qenya Grammar – Spelling and Transcription |url=http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma22.html |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=22|page= 65|quote={{angbr|hy}} is an audibly spirant voiceless ''y'', that is approximately [ç] as ''ch'' in German ''ich''.}}</ref> and a [[voiceless postalveolar fricative]] {{IPA|[ʃ]}} in Vanyarin.<ref name="RE"/>}}
  |{{note|ADgn||The ''certh'' [[File:Certh 17.svg|16px]] denotes Quenya {{angbr|ndy}}, formerly pronounced {{IPA|[ɲɟj]}}. In Noldorin, this cluster was later [[Cluster reduction|reduced]] to {{angbr|ny}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Tolkien |first1=J. R. R. |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |date=2015-06-12 |title=The Feanorian Alphabet (Part 1) and Quenya Verb Structure: Qenya Grammar – Spelling and Transcription |url=http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma22.html |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=22|page= 66|quote={{angbr|dy}} ... only occurred in the group {{angbr|ndy}}, which has become simplified to {{angbr|ny}}.}}</ref> (articulated as {{IPA|[ɲj]}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Tolkien |first1=J. R. R. |author-link=J. R. R. Tolkien |date=2015-06-12 |title=The Feanorian Alphabet (Part 1) and Quenya Verb Structure: Qenya Grammar – Spelling and Transcription |url= http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma22.html |journal=[[Parma Eldalamberon]] |issue=22 |page=66 |quote=''n'' in {{angbr|ny}} is 'palatal n' but followed by (cf. {{angbr|ty}}) a ''y''-offglide, more marked medially (where {{angbr|ny}} counts as a group), less so initially).}}</ref>). On the other hand, in Vanyarin, the cluster underwent [[assibilation]], turning into {{IPA|[nd͡ʒ]}}.<ref name="RE"/>}}
  |{{note|ADngw||The ''certh'' {{nowrap|[[File:Certh 28.svg|16px]],}} much like the ''tengwa'' [[File:Tengwa nwalme.svg|16px]] "ñwalme", formerly represented Quenya {{angbr|ñw}} (pronounced {{IPA|[ŋʷw]}}), occurring only in initial position. This sound later evolved into {{IPA|[nʷw]}}, explaining the transliteration of this ''certh'' as {{angbr|nw}}. Non-initial occurrences of {{IPA|[nʷw]}} are most probably interpreted as {{angbr|n}}+{{angbr|w}} (i.e., two separate ''cirth'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://at.mansbjorkman.net/teng_quenya.htm|title=Amanye Tenceli: Tengwar - The Classical mode|access-date=2021-01-02|website=Amanye Tenceli|quote=''ñwalme'' > ''nwalme''. Only used for initial {{angbr|nw}}, which developed from {{angbr|ñw}}. Other occurrences of {{angbr|nw}} (originating in {{angbr|n}} + {{angbr|w}}) are written ''númen'' + ''vilya''.}}</ref>}}
  |{{note|ADB||The ''certh'' [[File:Certh 36.svg|16px]], the theoretical value of which is {{angbr|z}}, is instead used as {{angbr|ss}} in both Quenya and Sindarin (cf. the ''tengwa'' [[File:Tengwa esse.svg|16px]] "esse"/"áze").<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/>}}
  |{{note|ADC||The new ''certh'' [[File:Certh 54.svg|16px]] was introduced for {{angbr|h}}: it is similar in shape both to the ''certh'' [[File:Certh 13.svg|16px]] (formerly used for {{angbr|h}}, then reassigned to {{angbr|ty}}) and to the ''tengwa'' [[File:Tengwa hyarmen.svg|16px]] "hyarmen".}}
  |{{note|ADhw||The ''certh'' [[File:Certh 5.svg|16px]], the theoretical value of which was {{angbr|m}}, was used for Sindarin {{angbr|hw}} for the reasons stated above<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> (cf. the ''tengwa'' [[File:Tengwa hwesta sindarinwa.svg|16px]] "hwesta sindarinwa").}}
}}

=== ''Angerthas Moria'' ===

According to [[Tolkien's legendarium]], the [[Dwarf (Middle-earth)|Dwarves]] first came to know the runes of the Noldor at the beginning of the [[Second Age]]. The Dwarves "introduced a number of unsystematic changes in value, as well as certain new cirth".<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> They modified the previous system to suit the specific needs of their language, [[Khuzdul]]. The Dwarves spread their revised alphabet to [[Moria (Middle-earth)|Moria]], where it came to be known as ''Angerthas Moria'', and developed both carved and pen-written forms of these runes.<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/>

Many cirth here represent sounds not occurring in Khuzdul<ref>{{cite thesis|type=BA|last=Amram|first=Tess|date=2015|title=Aglab Khazad: The Secret Language of Tolkien's Dwarves|url=https://scholarship.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/bitstream/handle/10066/15353/Amram_thesis_2015.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y|publisher=[[Swarthmore College]]}}</ref> (at least in published words of Khuzdul: of course, our corpus is very limited to judge the necessity or not, of these sounds). Here they are marked with a black star (<sup>★</sup>).

{| class="wikitable"
|- align="center"
!''Certh''!!Translit.!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]'
!''Certh''!!Translit.!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!''Certh''!!Translit.!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]'
!''Certh''!!Translit.!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 1.svg|20px]]||p||{{IPA|/p/}}<sup>★</sup>
|colspan="3"|
|[[File:Certh 31.svg|20px]]||l||{{IPA|/l/}}
|[[File:Certh 46.svg|20px]]||e||{{IPA|/e/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 2.svg|20px]]||b||{{IPA|/b/}}
|[[File:Certh 17.svg|20px]]||z||{{IPA|/z/}}
|[[File:Certh 32.svg|20px]]||lh||{{IPA|/ɬ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 47.svg|20px]]||ê||{{IPA|/eː/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 3.svg|20px]]||f||{{IPA|/f/}}
|[[File:Certh 18.svg|20px]]||k||{{IPA|/k/}}
|[[File:Certh 33.svg|20px]]||nd||{{IPA|/nd/}}
|[[File:Certh 48.svg|20px]]||a||{{IPA|/a/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 4.svg|20px]]||v||{{IPA|/v/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 19.svg|20px]]||g||{{IPA|/ɡ/}}
|[[File:Certh 34.svg|20px]]||h{{ref|AMA|[A]}}||{{IPA|/h/}}
|[[File:Certh 49.svg|20px]]||â||{{IPA|/aː/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 5.svg|20px]]||hw||{{IPA|/ʍ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 20.svg|20px]]||kh||{{IPA|/x/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 35.svg|20px]]||''{{okina}}'' {{ref|AMA|[A]}}||{{IPA|/ʔ/}}
|[[File:Certh 50.svg|20px]]||o||{{IPA|/o/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 6.svg|20px]]||m||{{IPA|/m/}}
|[[File:Certh 21.svg|20px]]||gh||{{IPA|/ɣ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 36.svg|20px]]||ŋ||{{IPA|/ŋ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 51.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 51a.svg|20px]]||ô||{{IPA|/oː/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 7.svg|20px]]||mb||{{IPA|/mb/}}
|[[File:Certh 22.svg|20px]]||n||{{IPA|/n/}}
|[[File:Certh 37.svg|20px]]||ng||{{IPA|/ŋɡ/}}
|[[File:Certh 52.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 52a.svg|20px]]||ö||{{IPA|/œ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 8.svg|20px]]||t||{{IPA|/t/}}
|[[File:Certh 23.svg|20px]]||kw||{{IPA|/kʷ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 38.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 38a.svg|20px]]||nj||{{IPA|/ndʒ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 53.svg|20px]]||n||{{IPA|/n/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 9.svg|20px]]||d||{{IPA|/d/}}
|[[File:Certh 24.svg|20px]]||gw||{{IPA|/ɡʷ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 39.svg|20px]]||i||{{IPA|/i/}}
|[[File:Certh 54.svg|20px]]||s||{{IPA|/s/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 10.svg|20px]]||th||{{IPA|/θ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 25.svg|20px]]||khw||{{IPA|/xʷ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 40.svg|20px]]||y||{{IPA|/j/}}
|[[File:Certh 55.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 55a.svg|20px]]||{{ref|AMB|[B]}}||{{IPA|/ə/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 11.svg|20px]]||dh||{{IPA|/ð/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 26.svg|20px]]||ghw||{{IPA|/ɣʷ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 41.svg|20px]]||hy||{{IPA|/j̊}}, {{IPA|ç/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 56.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 56a.svg|20px]]||{{ref|AMB|[B]}}||{{IPA|/ʌ/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 12.svg|20px]]||r||{{IPA|/ʀ}}, {{IPA|ʁ}}, {{IPA|r/}}
|[[File:Certh 27.svg|20px]]||ngw||{{IPA|/ŋɡʷ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 42.svg|20px]]||u||{{IPA|/u/}}
|colspan="3"|
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 13.svg|20px]]||ch||{{IPA|/tʃ}}, {{IPA|c/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 28.svg|20px]]||nw||{{IPA|/nʷ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 43.svg|20px]]||û||{{IPA|/uː/}}
|colspan="3"|
|- align="center"
|colspan="3"|
|[[File:Certh 29.svg|20px]]||j||{{IPA|/dʒ}}, {{IPA|ɟ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 44.svg|20px]]||w||{{IPA|/w/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 59.svg|20px]]||+h{{ref|AMC|[C]}}||{{IPA|/◌ʰ/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 15.svg|20px]]||sh||{{IPA|/ʃ/}}
|[[File:Certh 30.svg|20px]]||zh||{{IPA|/ʒ/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 45.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 45a.svg|20px]]||ü||{{IPA|/y/}}<sup>★</sup>
|[[File:Certh 60.svg|20px]]||&{{ref|AM&|[D]}}||
|}

'''Notes:'''
{|
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
| align="right" | A. || {{note|AMA|}}The Khuzdul language has two [[glottal consonant]]s: {{IPA|/h/}} and {{IPA|/ʔ/}}, the latter being "the [[glottal stop|glottal]] beginning of a word with an initial vowel".<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/> Thus, in need of a reversible certh to represent these sounds, [[File:Certh 54.svg|16px]] and [[File:Certh 34.svg|16px]] were switched, giving the former the value {{IPA|/s/}} and using the latter for {{IPA|/h/}}, and its reversed counterpart [[File:Certh 35.svg|16px]] for {{IPA|/ʔ/}}.
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
| align="right" | B. || {{note|AMB|}}These cirth were a halved form of [[File:Certh 46.svg|16px]], used for vowels like those in the word {{angbr|b<u>u</u>tt<u>e</u>r}} {{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|ʌ|t|ər}}. Thus, [[File:Certh 55.svg|16px]] represented a {{IPA|/ə/}} sound in unstressed syllables, while [[File:Certh 56.svg|16px]] represented {{IPA|/ʌ/}}, a somehow similar sound, in stressed syllables. When weak they were reduced to a stroke without a stem ([[File:Certh 55a.svg|16px]], [[File:Certh 56a.svg|16px]]).<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/>
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
| align="right" | C. || {{note|AMC|}}This letter denotes [[Aspirated consonant|aspiration]] in voiceless stops, occurring frequently in Khuzdul as ''kh'' and ''th''.<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/>
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
| align="right" | D. || {{note|AM&|}}This certh is a [[scribal abbreviation]] used to represent a [[Conjunction (grammar)#Coordinating conjunctions|conjunction]], and is basically identical to the [[ampersand]] {{angbr|&}} used in [[Latin script]].
|}
[[File:Balin zg2.PNG|thumb|right|upright=1.35|Runes in the upper inscription of [[Balin (Middle-earth)|Balin]]'s tomb use ''Angerthas Moria'', reading left-to-right:<br/>{{center|Balin<br/>Fu[nd]inul<br/>Uzbad[[Moria (Middle-earth)|Kʰazaddûm]]<nowiki/>u}}]]
In ''Angerthas Moria'' the cirth [[File:Certh 14.svg|16px]] {{IPA|/dʒ/}} and [[File:Certh 16.svg|16px]] {{IPA|/ʒ/}} were dropped. Thus [[File:Certh 29.svg|16px]] and [[File:Certh 30.svg|16px]] were adopted for {{IPA|/dʒ/}} and {{IPA|/ʒ/}}, although they were used for {{IPA|/r/}} and {{IPA|/r̥/}} in Elvish languages. Subsequently, this script used the certh [[File:Certh 12.svg|16px]] for {{IPA|/ʀ/ (or /ʁ/)}}, which had the sound {{IPA|/n/}} in the Elvish systems. Therefore, the certh [[File:Certh 22.svg|16px]] (which was previously used for the sound {{IPA|/ŋ/}}, useless in Khuzdul) was adopted for the sound {{IPA|/n/}}. A totally new introduction was the certh [[File:Certh 53.svg|16px]], used as an alternative, simplified and, maybe, weaker form of [[File:Certh 22.svg|16px]]. Because of the visual relation of these two cirth, the certh [[File:Certh 17.svg|16px]] was given the sound {{IPA|/z/}} to relate better with [[File:Certh 54.svg|16px]] that, in this script, had the sound {{IPA|/s/}}.<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/>

=== ''Angerthas Erebor'' ===

At the beginning of the [[Third Age]] the Dwarves were driven out of Moria, and some migrated to [[Lonely Mountain|Erebor]]. As the Dwarves of Erebor would trade with the Men of the nearby towns of [[Dale (Middle-earth)|Dale]] and [[Esgaroth|Lake-town]], they needed a script to write in [[Westron]] (the ''[[lingua franca]]'' of Middle-earth, usually rendered in English by Tolkien in his works). The ''Angerthas Moria'' was adapted accordingly: some new cirth were added, while some were restored to their Elvish usage, thus creating the ''Angerthas Erebor''.<ref name="Tolkien 1955"/>

While the ''Angerthas Moria'' was still used to write down Khuzdul, this new script was primarily used for Mannish languages. It is also the script used in the first and third page of the [[Book of Mazarbul]].{{citation needed|reason=a random post on imgur is not a sufficiently reliable source to pass muster under [[WP:RS]]|date=October 2021}}

{| class="wikitable"
|- align="center"
!''Certh''!!Translit.!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!''Certh''!!Translit.!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!''Certh''!!Translit.!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!''Certh''!!Translit.!![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 1.svg|20px]]||p||{{IPA|/p/}}
|[[File:Certh 16.svg|20px]]||zh||{{IPA|/ʒ/}}
|[[File:Certh 31.svg|20px]]||l||{{IPA|/l/}}
|[[File:Certh 46.svg|20px]]||e||{{IPA|/e/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 2.svg|20px]]||b||{{IPA|/b/}}
|[[File:Certh 17.svg|20px]]||ks||{{IPA|/ks/}}
|colspan="3"|
|colspan="3"|
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 3.svg|20px]]||f||{{IPA|/f/}}
|[[File:Certh 18.svg|20px]]||k||{{IPA|/k/}}
|[[File:Certh 33.svg|20px]]||nd||{{IPA|/nd/}}
|[[File:Certh 48.svg|20px]]||a||{{IPA|/a/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 4.svg|20px]]||v||{{IPA|/v/}}
|[[File:Certh 19.svg|20px]]||g||{{IPA|/ɡ/}}
|[[File:Certh 34.svg|20px]]||rowspan="2"|s||rowspan="2"|{{IPA|/s/}}
|colspan="3"|
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 5.svg|20px]]||hw||{{IPA|/ʍ/}}
|[[File:Certh 20.svg|20px]]||kh||{{IPA|/x/}}
|[[File:Certh 35.svg|20px]]
|[[File:Certh 50.svg|20px]]||o||{{IPA|/o/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 6.svg|20px]]||m||{{IPA|/m/}}
|[[File:Certh 21.svg|20px]]||gh||{{IPA|/ɣ/}}
|[[File:Certh 36.svg|20px]]||ŋ||{{IPA|/ŋ/}}
|colspan="3"|
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 7.svg|20px]]||mb||{{IPA|/mb/}}
|[[File:Certh 22.svg|20px]]||n||{{IPA|/n/}}
|[[File:Certh 37.svg|20px]]||ng||{{IPA|/ŋɡ/}}
|[[File:Certh 52.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 52a.svg|20px]]||ö||{{IPA|/œ/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 8.svg|20px]]||t||{{IPA|/t/}}
|[[File:Certh 23.svg|20px]]||kw||{{IPA|/kʷ/}}
|colspan="3"|
|[[File:Certh 53.svg|20px]]||n||{{IPA|/n/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 9.svg|20px]]||d||{{IPA|/d/}}
|[[File:Certh 24.svg|20px]]||gw||{{IPA|/ɡʷ/}}
|[[File:Certh 39.svg|20px]]||i||{{IPA|/i/}}
|[[File:Certh 54.svg|20px]]||h||{{IPA|/h/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 10.svg|20px]]||th||{{IPA|/θ/}}
|[[File:Certh 25.svg|20px]]||khw||{{IPA|/xʷ/}}
|[[File:Certh 40.svg|20px]]||y||{{IPA|/j/}}
|[[File:Certh 55.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 55a.svg|20px]]||||{{IPA|/ə/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 11.svg|20px]]||dh||{{IPA|/ð/}}
|[[File:Certh 26.svg|20px]]||ghw||{{IPA|/ɣʷ/}}
|[[File:Certh 41.svg|20px]]||hy||{{IPA|/j̊/}} or {{IPA|/ç/}}
|[[File:Certh 56.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 56a.svg|20px]]||||{{IPA|/ʌ/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 12.svg|20px]]||r||{{IPA|/r/}}
|[[File:Certh 27.svg|20px]]||ngw||{{IPA|/ŋɡʷ/}}
|[[File:Certh 42.svg|20px]]||u||{{IPA|/u/}}
|[[File:Certh 57.svg|20px]]||ps||{{IPA|/ps/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 13.svg|20px]]||ch||{{IPA|/tʃ/}}
|[[File:Certh 28.svg|20px]]||nw||{{IPA|/nʷ/}}
|[[File:Certh 43.svg|20px]]||z||{{IPA|/z/}}
|[[File:Certh 58.svg|20px]]||ts||{{IPA|/ts/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 14.svg|20px]]||j||{{IPA|/dʒ/}}
|[[File:Certh 29.svg|20px]]||g||{{IPA|/ɡ/}}
|[[File:Certh 44.svg|20px]]||w||{{IPA|/w/}}
|[[File:Certh 59.svg|20px]]||+h||{{IPA|/◌ʰ/}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 15.svg|20px]]||sh||{{IPA|/ʃ/}}
|[[File:Certh 30.svg|20px]]||gh||{{IPA|/ɣ/}}
|[[File:Certh 45.svg|20px]]&nbsp;<span style="font-size:65%">or</span>&nbsp;[[File:Certh 45a.svg|20px]]||ü||{{IPA|/y/}}
|[[File:Certh 60.svg|20px]]||&||
|}

Angerthas Erebor also features [[combining diacritic]]s:
*a [[circumflex]] [[File:Certh Circumflex.png|16px]] used to denote [[gemination|long consonants]];
*a [[macron below]] [[File:Certh Macron below.png|16px]] to indicate a [[long vowel]] sound;
*an [[dot (diacritic)#Underdot|underdot]] [[File:Certh Underdot.png|16px]] to mark cirth used as [[numerical digits|numerals]]. As a matter of fact, in the Book of Mazarbul some cirth are used as numerals: [[File:Certh 39.svg|16px]] for 1, [[File:Certh 50.svg|16px]] for 2, [[File:Certh 52.svg|16px]] for 3, [[File:Gondolin rune b.svg|16px]] for 4, [[File:Certh 22.svg|16px]] for 5.

[[File:Balin sp2.PNG|thumb|right|upright=1.8|The bottom inscription of [[Balin (Middle-earth)|Balin]]'s tomb is written in English using the ''Angerthas Erebor''. It reads left-to-right: "Balin sʌn ov Fu[nd]in lord ov Moria"]]
The ''Angerthas Erebor'' is used twice in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' to write in English:
# in the upper inscription of the title page, where it reads "[dh]ə·lord·ov·[dh]ə·riŋs·translatᵊd·from·[dh]ə·[[Red Book of Westmarch|red·b[oo]k]]'&nbsp;..." (the sentence follows in the bottom inscription, written in Tengwar: "...&nbsp;of Westmarch by John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Herein is set forth/ the history of the War of the Ring and the Return of the King as seen by the Hobbits.");
# in the bottom inscription of [[Balin (Middle-earth)|Balin]]'s tomb—being the translation of the upper inscription, which is written in Khuzdul using ''Angerthas Moria''.

The Book of Mazarbul shows some additional cirth used in ''Angerthas Erebor'': one for a double {{angbr|l}} [[Typographic ligature|ligature]], one for the [[Article (grammar)#Definite article|definite article]], and six for the representation of the same number of English [[diphthong]]s:

{| class="wikitable"
|- align="center"
!''Certh''!!English spelling
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh LL.svg|20px]]{{ref|AE|∗}}||{{angbr|ll}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh Article.svg|20px]]{{ref|AE|∗}}||{{angbr|the}}{{ref|the|[A]}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh AI.svg|20px]]{{ref|AE|∗}}||{{angbr|ai}}, {{angbr|ay}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh AU.svg|20px]]{{ref|AE|∗}}||{{angbr|au}}, {{angbr|aw}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh EA.svg|20px]]{{ref|AE|∗}}||{{angbr|ea}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 47.svg|20px]]||{{angbr|ee}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 38a.svg|20px]]||{{angbr|eu}}, {{angbr|ew}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh OA.svg|20px]]{{ref|AE|∗}}||{{angbr|oa}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 51.svg|20px]]||{{angbr|oo}}
|- align="center"
|[[File:Certh 38.svg|20px]]||{{angbr|ou}}, {{angbr|ow}}
|}

'''Notes:'''

{|
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
| align="right" | A. || {{note|the|}}This certh is a [[scribal abbreviation]] used to represent the definite article. Although in English it stands for {{angbr|the}}, it can assume different values according to the used language.
|- style="vertical-align: top;"
| align="right" | ∗. || {{note|AE|}}The cirth marked with an asterisk are unique to ''Angerthas Erebor''.
|}