Dunlendish

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Dunlendish in Lord of the Rings

The Dunlendish language, spoken in Dunland, is based on Welsh. The developers of The Lord of the Rings Online drew strongly from Medieval Welsh and Brittonic language and folklore, in keeping with Turbine's practice of mimicking Tolkien's use of real-world languages and cultures. Tolkien himself was fond of Welsh, first encountering it in his youth:

"I heard it coming out of the west. It struck at me in the names on coal-trucks; and drawing nearer, it flickered past on station-signs, a flash of strange spelling and a hint of a language old and yet alive..." — "English and Welsh" in The Monsters and the Critics, 1983

The depth of his admiration is shown in the same essay:

"Welsh is of this soil, this island, the senior language of the men of Britain; and Welsh is beautiful."

The use of Welsh to represent the Dunlendings, enemies of the Rohirrim, may recall the enmity of the Welsh and the early English (upon whom the Rohirrim are based). Welsh is already present in Tolkien's world: indirectly, in Sindarin, whose phonology and morphology are strongly influenced by Welsh, and directly, in names in Buckland and the Bree area, where Appendix F.II compares their relation to the Shire with the relation of Wales to England. This is seen in the real words bre ("hill") and gorhendad ("great-grandfather").

Gamling refers to the language in The Two Towers:

"Yet there are many that cry in the Dunland tongue," said Gamling. "I know that tongue. It is an ancient speech of men, and once was spoken in many western valleys of the Mark."

The Dunlendings are presented with a cultural flavor reminiscent of pre-Roman Britain, with clothing and customs inspired by Celtic traditions. In The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien provides only a single word from their language: forgoil, a derogatory term for the Rohirrim meaning "strawheads." This leaves wide scope for adaptation in The Lord of the Rings Online. In Tolkien's writings, the Rohirrim are depicted with strong similarities to the Anglo-Saxons, while Gondor shares traits with Rome. Historically within Middle-earth, the Dunlendings occupied Dunland and what later became Rohan until Gondorians, and afterward the Rohirrim, settled the region, forcing the Dunlendings aside. The parallel with real-world history is clear, and the choice to model Dunlendish on Welsh was a deliberate design decision.

Welsh, a Celtic language related to Gaelic and to dialects spoken in Boudica’s time, serves as the foundation for Dunlendish. The place-names in Enedwaith and Dunland are clearly modeled on Welsh, though the spelling has often been adjusted for accessibility to English readers. This approach is similar to that used for the Lossoth of Forochel, whose language is based on Finnish with simplified orthography. The inclusion of Welsh and Finnish is an intentional nod to Tolkien’s own use of those languages in shaping Sindarin and Quenya, respectively.

The Dunlendish lexicon consists primarily of Welsh-derived place-names and terms, listed alphabetically. NPC names are largely excluded, as most are simply borrowed Welsh given names, often drawn from sources such as The Mabinogion or modern name collections.

Differences between Dunlendish and Welsh

The Dunlendish used in LOTRO is not identical to Welsh, but loosely inspired by it. Differences reflect developer choices rather than errors. In general, the developers made changes in spelling and word order to better accommodate English-speaking players and the internal consistency of Middle-earth.

Common transformations include:

  • Welsh dd → Dunlendish dh
  • Welsh ll → Dunlendish lh (also consistent with Sindarin)
  • Welsh ff → Dunlendish f
  • Welsh f → Dunlendish v
  • Welsh vocalic w and y → Dunlendish u or û
  • Welsh wy → Dunlendish u or û

Compound formation also tends toward English-style [attribute]-[base] structures (e.g. Uch-lûth "Ox-clan") rather than the more common Welsh [base] [attribute] order (which would yield Llwyth yr Ych).

Dunlendish word list

Name Translation
Ach Ancestry, lineage
Algraig Outcrop
Annun Otherworld
Asgurn Bone
Avar Sorrow
Avon River
Bach Little
Balch Proud
Barn View
Bedh Grave
Brath Wound, stab, bite
Brehur Nobleman
Brehures Noblewoman
Brenin King
Broch Brock
Brôn, brun Bank, hill, slope
Buch Buck
Bugan Bogey, ghost or puck
Bûta Eat
Cadlus Camp
Capten Captain
Carchar Prison
Carreg Rock
Cartrev Home, house, dwelling, abode
Caru Stag
Cennyn Scale
Chúthur Blower
Cloben Whopper
Colvarn Condemned, condemnation, verdict
Colven Tree
Corf Body
Corn Horn
Corrach Dwarf
Cors Bog
Corvan Foot
Crug Barrow
Culch Circle, ring
Cun Dog
Cuthonon Maggot
Cuthraul Demon, devil
Cuv Blow
Cymunu Hew
Derudh Druid
Diavol Devil
Din Fort
Draig Dragon
Drem Eye
Dreng Dire, sullen, harsh
Drú Through
Drûg, drug Evil
Du Black
Dudh Day
Duhirun Rascal, scoundrel, blackguard
Dur Steel
Dúv Water
Duvodiad Newcomer
Dyr Break
Enaid Soul
Fardh Poet
Flam Flame
Fordh Road
Gal Hill
Galar Mourning
Gardhur Gardener
Gavar Goat
Glennudh Banks
Glew Brave
Glûs Fair, holy
Goch Red
Gogledh North
Gors Marsh
Gurach Old woman, witch, hag
Gwaed Blood
Gwâl Lair
Gwern Meadow
Gwiber Viper, adder
Gwig Woods, forest, shaws
Gwirod Spirit
Gwun White
Gwydh Wild
Gwyllion Night Spirit
Haer Firm
Haniad Descent
Hebog Falcon
Helgi Hound
Helvarch Hunter
Hen Old
Is Under
Khi You
Khig Meat
Khinio Dinner
Khoblún Goblin
Lhaid Mud
Lhan Town, fold, community (lit. parish)
Lhe Place
Lhechu Lurking
Lhu Herd
Lhudd Fatigue
Lhun, lyn Lake
Lûd Grey
Lûth Clan, tribe
Mad Good
Maer Mayor
Malh Blight
Maru Dead
Math Kind, type
Mîn Edge
Maur Great
Morva Marsh
Munudh Mountain
Nerth Strength
Ogo Cave
Plas Hall, palace
Pluvun Feather
Pont Bridge
Pren Wood, tree
Pruv Worm
Pulh Pool
Rheg Curse
Rhi Lord
Rhost Roast
Rhuvel War
Rhos Moor
Sarf Serpent
Skud Waterfall
Tafod Tongue
Tant String
Tarren Knoll
Tegell Kettle
Trev Town
Trig Dwelling, home, stay
Tû House
Tulhau Holes
Tûr Tower
Turrau Towers
Trac Track
Trenghi Die
Trod Foot
Trum Ridge
Tuisog Prince
Tulwulh Dark
Turch Boar
Turio Burrows
Uch Ox
Ufern Hell
Ûmborth Food
Unig Lone, lonely
Unus Island
Urdhas Dignity
Uvel Fire

Translations from Welsh

Places

Where words allow multiple possible translations, the version most suited to the game context has been selected. The Welsh forms in the right-hand column are generally chosen to remain close to the game names, though not always. They are formally correct but not always idiomatic; idiomatic renderings, where included, can usually be recognized by their greater divergence.

A: archaic
lit: literally

Name Translation Notes Welsh
Avardin Sorrowfort A: afar = sorrow; A: din = town, fort Dinafar
Barnavon Riverview barn = view; afon = river Barnafon
Brôntrig Hillhome bron = hill, bank, slope; trig = home, dwelling, stay trigfa’r fron
Carreglyn Rockylake carreg = stone; lyn = lake Carregglyn
Cartrev Andras (and many other cartrev names) Home of Andras (etc) cartrev = home; suffix indicates the owner cartref Andras
Cartrev Maru Home of the Dead cartrev = home; marw = dead cartre’r meirwon
Colven-unus Tree Island colven = tree; ynys = island ynys golfen
Cors Avanc Avanc-bog cors = bog; afanc = water-monster cors afanc
Crug Fernvael / Crug Cadelhin Fernvael's Barrow / Cadelhin's Barrow crug = barrow crug Ffernfael / Crug Cadellin
Cuvnerth Strongblow cwff = blow; nerth = strength cyfnerth / cwff nerth
Drûg-haniad Evil descent (prob.) drwg = evil, bad, hurtful; haniad = derivation, descent (unusual usage) Drwg-haniad
Durgors Steel Marsh dur = steel; gors = marsh Durgors
Dúvispont Water under the bridge dŵr = water; is = under; pont = bridge dŵr-is-pont
Dûv Corvan Water's Edge dûv = water; corvan unclear, poss. from corfan = foot Dûv Corfan
Flam-cadlus Flame Camp fflam = flame; cadlys = camp cadlys y fflam
Fordh Maru Road of the Dead ffordd = road; marw = dead ffordd y meirwon
Galar-gwig Mournshaws galar = mourning; gwig = wood galarwig
Galar Culch Ring of Mourning galar = mourning; cylch = circle cylch galar
Galtrev Hillside Town gallt = hill; tref = town galltref / tre’r allt
Gavar Cadlus Goat Camp gafr = goat; cadlys = camp cadlys yr afar
Gwaed Brun Hill of Blood gwaed = blood; bryn = hill bryn gwaed
Gwâl Draig Dragon's Lair gwâl = lair; draig = dragon gwâl y ddraig
Hen Turrau Old Towers hen = old; tyrrau = towers hen dyrau
Khoblún Utot Goblin... coblyn = goblin; Utot unclear. Wytot = you Coblyn-wytot?
Lhaid Ogo Muddy Cave llaid = mud; ogof = cave ogof leidiog
Lhan Bach Little Town llan = parish; bach = little Llanfach
Lhan Colvarn Condemned Village llan = parish; collfarn = condemnation Llangollfarn
Lhan Gogledh North Town llan = parish; gogledd = north Llanogledd
Lhan Rhos Moor Town llan = parish; rhos = moor Llanrhos
Lhan Tarren Hillock Town llan = parish; tarren = knoll Llandarren
Lhanuch Ox Town llan = parish; ych = ox Llan-ych
Lhe Colvarn Doomplace lle = place; collfarn = condemnation lle collfarn
Lhe Lhechu Lurking Place lle = place; llechu = lurking lle llechu
Lhun Avanc Lake of the Avanc llyn = lake; afanc = water-monster llyn yr afanc
Maur Tulhau Great Holes mawr = great; tyllau = holes; cf. Michel Delving tyllau mawr
Mîn Haerchen Edgestack? min = edge, brink; Haerchen unclear. haercen = stack Min Haercen?
Munudh Dûv Mountain Water mynydd = mountain; dwfr = water mynydd dŵr
Oirnad Culch Chilling Circle? cylch = circle; oirnad unclear, poss. from dirnad = perceive or wirnad = truth or oernadu = chill cylch oernadu
Plas-maru Hall of the Dead plas = hall; marw = dead plas y meirwon
Pluvun Gwern Feather Meadow plufyn = feather; gwern = meadow gwern y plu
Pren Gwydh Wild Wood pren = wood/tree; gwydd = multiple meanings (wild, goose, loom, plough) pren gŵydd (lit.); y coed gwyllt
Pruv Cadlus Worm Camp (A.) pryf = worm/insect; cadlys = camp cadlys y pryf
Rhuvel-cadlus War Camp rhyfel = war; cadlys = camp cadlys rhyfel
Sarf Cadlus Serpent Camp sarff = serpent; cadlys = camp cadlys y sarff
Skud Carchar Waterfall Prison sgwd = waterfall; carchar = prison; "skud" ≈ "cudd" (hidden) carchar y sgwd
Trac-plas Place of Death trac = track; plas = hall/palace plas tranc
Trum Dreng Dire Ridge trum = ridge; dreng = sullen/harsh/dire –
Tûr Morva Marsh Tower tŵr = tower; morfa = marsh tŵr morfa
Uch Cadlus Ox Camp ych = ox; cadlys = camp cadlys yr ych
Unig-pulh Lonely Pool unig = lonely; pwll = pool pwll unig
Urdhas Culch Ring of Dignity urddas = dignity; cylch = circle cylch urddas
Uvel-cadlus Fire Camp ufel = fire; cadlys = camp cadlys yr ufel

People

Tribes

Name Translation Notes Welsh
Algraig Outlier / outlying rock Allgraig
Avanc-lûth The Avanc-clan (or the Beaver-Clan) Avanc = river monster, beaver; lûth = tribe, clan Llwyth yr Afanc
Caru-lûth The Stag-clan Caru = stag; lûth = tribe, clan Llwyth y Carw
Draig-lûth The Dragon-clan Draig = dragon; lûth = tribe, clan Llwyth y Ddraig
Hebog-lûth The Falcon-clan Hebog = falcon, hawk; lûth = tribe, clan Llwyth yr Hebog
Turch-lûth The Boar-clan Turch = boar; lûth = tribe, clan Llwyth y Twrch
Uch-lûth The Ox-clan Uch = ox; lûth = tribe, clan Llwyth yr Ych

Names from folklore and mythology

Name Translation and Comments Notes Welsh
avanc Lake monster, beaver The afanc of Welsh legend is a lake monster which is described as looking pretty much like the avanc of LotRO, but the word afanc is also used to mean beaver. Afanc
Brathach Woundblood Brath = a wound, stab or bite; ach = ancestry, lineage Possible variant of Brythach
Bugan Bogey, ghost or puck This is a word used in folklore Bwgan
Cun Annun Hounds of the Otherworld cwn = dog; Annwn = the otherworld of Welsh Mythology. The King of Annwn is often described as having a pack of rather interesting hunting hounds, which would seem to imply that Turbine didn't invent the Cun Annun. Cŵn Annwn
Draigoch Red dragon draig = dragon, goch = red. This is the red dragon that is represented on the Welsh Flag. It's a bit strange given that Draigoch in-game is black.
Y Ddraig goch
Dremidudh Day's Eye Drem = eye; dudh = day; trem y dydd = eye of the day. See Culhwch and Olwen. Dremidydd
Glewlûd Brave Grey Glew= brave, valiant; llwyd = grey. See Culhwch and Olwen. Glewlwyd Gafaelfawr
Gwunfardh White Poet Gwyn = white; fardd = poet. A historic name - kind of an odd name for a giant, isn't it? Gwynfardd
Gwyllion Night Spirit This character matches the Old Woman of the Mountain tale from Monmouthshire folklore. The gwyllion of Welsh legend are spirits or fairies of some sort, which usually take the form of pan-wielding old women, though they can take other forms, including those of goats. The gwyllion can be unpleasant, and they enjoy making travellers lose their way, but they aren't the nastiest of bogies as long as you’re polite to them. Gwyllion
Lheu Brenin King Moon Lheu = moon, brenin = king. Lheu is also the name of a mythological figure. Lleu Llaw Gyffes
Lhudd Fatigue Lludd is the name of a mythological figure. Lludd Llaw Ereint

Stoors

The names of the stoors in Maur Tulhau are modelled on Shire names. Here again note that the Welsh column only gives the names as they would be spelled, not as plausible translations. Some of these names, like Madgorff, are extremely unlikely in Welsh.

Name Translation Notes Welsh
Rhus Cornchúthur Rhys Hornblower Corn = horn, chútur = blower Rhys Cornchwythwr
Iolo Brochtû Iolo Brockhouse Broch = brock, tû = house Iolo Brochty
Gwin Cuthonon Gwyn Maggot Cuthonon = maggot Gwyn Cynrhonyn
Caradog Henbuch Caradog Oldbuck Hen = old, buch = buck Caradog Henfwch
Rhosun Turio Rose Burrows Turio = burrows Rhosyn Turio
Coid Isbrun Coid Underhill Is = Under, brun = hill Coid Isfryn
Adsiltia Madcorf Adsiltia Goodbody Mad = good, corf = body Adsiltia Madgorff
Cadel Balchtrod Cadel Proudfoot Balch = proud, trod = foot Cadell Balchtroed
Lili Gardhur Lily Gardener Gardhur = gardener Lili Garddwr(aig)
Violed Isbrun Violet Underhill Is = Under, brun = hill Fioled Isfryn
Iago Glennudh Iago Banks Glennudh = banks Iago Glennydd

Named mobs

Name Translation Notes Welsh
Asgurn-capten Bone-captain Asgurn = bone, capten = captain Asgwrn-gapten
Cloben Whopper Cloben
Cuthraul Demon, devil Cythraul
Cymunu Hew Cymynu
Druggavar Evil goat Drug = Evil, gavar = goat Drwg afr
Durdrú Breakwater or Breakthrough Dyr = break; dwr = water; drwy = through. The idea in this name seems to be either "breakwater", or “too break through [something, probably the player]”. Dyrdrwy
Elhudan Jack-o'-lantern, will-o-wisp. Ellyll = fiend, ghost, goblin, fairy, wisp. The final syllable "an" is a prefix meaning not or non and "dan" is a preposition meaning under. Ellylldân
Enaid-helgi Soul hound. Enaid = soul, life, ghost; helgi = hound. Enaid-helgi
Gavar-diavol Goat-devil Gavar = goat; diavol = devil. Gafar-ddiafol
Gwiber Viper, adder Gwiber
Harcennun Firmscale Haer = firm; cennyn = scale. Haercennyn
Malh-gavar Blight-goat. Malh = corrupted, rotten, evil; gafar = goat. Mallafar, Gafar y Fall
Rhi Helvarch The Hunter King Rhi = king, lord; helfarch = hunter, horse. The Rhi Helvarch, or Wild Huntsman, as the Rangers like to call him, is a Maia in service of Oromë, the Huntsman of the Valar. Turbine rather cunningly made the Rhi Helvarch look like Cernunnos, a horned or antlered Celtic god who is suspiciously similar to Oromë.
Cernunnos as depicted on the Gundestrup Cauldron
Y Rhi Helfarch
Tantafod Stringtongue Tant = string on a musical instrument; tafod = tongue. Tafod tân
Tuisog Prince Tywysog
Tulwulh-gwirod Dark spirit tulh = hole; wulh = owl, ghost, fiend; gwirod = liquor, alcohol, spirits. See gwirod below. Ysbryd tywyll
Ufern-helgi Hellhound Ufern = hell, helgi = hound. Helgi'r Uffern


Miscellaneous terms

This list contains words used by Dunlendings in dialogue or quest text, names of objects, and words appearing in numerous varied places.

Name Translation Notes Welsh
Bedh-stones Grave stones Bedh = grave Cerrig beddau
Brehur/brehures Noble (masculine and feminine form) Brehur = nobleman, brehures = noblewoman A: brëyr, breyres
Brenin King, sovereign, monarch Brenin
*Bûta khi! Eat you! Bûta = eat, khi = you Bwyta chi!
Corrach Dwarf Corrach
Coblun or Khôblun Goblin Coblyn
Derudh Druid Derwydd
Dievlig Devilish, vicious, diabolic, accursed, unholy Dieflig
Draig-math Dragonkind Draig = dragon, math = type, kind Draig-math
Duhirun Rascal, scoundrel, blackguard Dihiryn
Dutegelh Black Kettle Du = black, tegell = kettle. This is based on the Pair Dadeni or Cauldron of Rebirth from folklore; Black Cauldron would be Pair Du. Tecell du
Duvodiad Newcomer, advent, arrival, one who comes, stranger Dyfodiad
Glûs Fair, holy Glwys
Gurach Old woman, witch, hag Gwrach
Gwirod Spirit In Welsh, these are alcoholic spirits, not ghosts. (gwirod = spirits, liquor, alcohol) It would seem that someone typed "spirit" into a Welsh/English dictionary but didn't doublecheck to make sure it was the right kind of spirit. Ysbryd pl. ysbrydoedd
*Khinio! Dinner! (or lunch) Cinio
Maer Mayor Maer
Rheg Curse, swear In "an ancient rheg", it means "a curse", but normally this means a swear word. melltith
*Rhost khig! Roast meat! (rhost = roasted; cig = meat) Rhost = roast, khig = meat. Cig rhost!
*Trenghi! Die! Trengi!
*Ûmborth! Food! Ymborth!

* Bugan words

See also

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