#westron

Which members of the Fellowship (+ assorted other LotR characters) speak which languages:

(canon, interpolation and headcanon mingled, so beware)

Boromir: Westron, Gondorian Sindarin (many Gondorians and certainly members of the nobility are billingual), probably at least a little Rohirric given how much he seems to like the Rohirrim and vice versa, any random Quenya words Denethor hammered into him before he decided military training was more important that he hasn't managed to forget yet (few)

Aragorn: Billingual in Westron and Sindarin since very early childhood, Quenya, Rohirric, definitely several tongues spoken in Harad and Rhûn

Frodo: Westron, some Quenya and Sindarin

Sam: Westron

Merry: Westron

Pippin: Westron

Legolas: Mirkwood Sindarin (with Silvan elements), Silvan, Westron

Gimli: Khûzdul, Westron

Gandalf: Westron, Quenya, Sindarin, Rohirric, wouldn't be too surprised if Khûzdul + an immense number of other languages - more rather than less

Faramir: Westron, Sindarin, Quenya, some Adunaic* (dead language), if he doesn't know Rohirric yet, he will learn it from Éowyn

Elrond: Sindarin (likely his mother tongue), Quenya (with Feanorian accent?), Adunaic* (dead language he learned before it was dead), Taliska* (even dead-er language, same), Westron, countless more

Theoden: Rohirric, Westron, Gondorian Sindarin (everyone is sleeping on the fact that he spent his childhood in Gondor because his father did not get along with his grandfather at all, enough to move to another country)

Éowyn: Rohirric, Westron, if she knows any Sindarin at all, it would be a few random words, but she will learn upon moving to Gondor

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| Author's note: 🌬️This is an idea I got from a request, though I intend to post the official request this week, I thought that writing about our favourite dwarves would be so much fun! Thanks so much to everyone for your support and thanks especially to the people who wrote to me asking for requests!🥰 I will post them as soon as I can!

Please make sure to check my last posts: BATHS & SNEAKY DWARVES and TEA, PASTRIES AND CUDDLES (Part 3)

DWARF HEADCANONS: HEIGHT

Dwalin and Thorin don’t try to make it that obvious, given that they are the tallest of their party, whenever you are not around them: they get on their tiptoes or they even get a stool and grab what they want. 

DWALIN: 

Imagine stepping into the kitchen and seeing Dwalin on top of a chair as he tries to get his favourite cup, he’s just bought some pastries and he wants to accompany them with some hot milk, he’s got his back turned to you so he doesn’t know you are behind him. As you watch as he opens the cabinet, grab his cup (it is shaped into a kitten form, where the handle looks like a tail, the cup is brown with white spots all around it) and leaves it on the counter as he steps off the chair and leaves it in its respective place. 

You see the entire thing and when Dwalin is grabbing the milk, he sees you: leaning on the kitchen frame with a smile on your face, he stares at you and you stare back…his cheeks become red. He lifts a finger in your direction: “Not. A. Word.” he puts milk on his cup, grabs his pastries and walks to his seat–he does all this whilst glimpsing back at you every ten seconds–he nods at the food and grumbles: “Aren’t yer go’ grab som’?”

THORIN: 

Imagine going to his study because you need him to sign something and seeing him on his tiptoes as he tries to grab a scroll that is too far up on the shelf, you suppress your snort and watch the entire thing: Thorin grumbling and muttering curses under his breath in Khuzdul as he wiggles his fingers, his arm shakes either from him trying to grab the parchment or from the anger, he is feeling by not being able to grab the item from the shelf.

You decide to walk to him and help him, when he sees a hand reach the item easily, he sighs and his lips curve into a thankful smile…but when he sees it’s you, his smile turns into a scowl as his cheeks turn red, you flash him a grin and hand him the scroll to which he harshly takes from your hands and stomps to his desk. “Get. Out.” You raise your brow and show him the papers in your hand, he walks to you, grabs the papers and shoves you out of the study. As he closes the door you hear him mutter, “I could have reached that just fine, thank you.”

 | Obviously a lie.

OIN is always extremely grateful to you for helping him (though it took a while to realise given that he just grumbles and mutters things either in Khuzdul or under his breath), “Thank ya, lass.” 

He may not look like it but he is extremely grateful, he always hands you sweets before you leave.

If you have some spare time he will force you to stay and make you a cuppa (chocolate or tea) to express his gratitude.

GLOIN always dismisses you and claims that he needs no help, but you once saw him using his axe to grab something from an upper shelf and you don’t want to offer help in case he decides to use that axe against you.

The dwarf is incredibly prideful, a trait that has passed down to his son, Gimli, however, the young dwarf does ask for help when he knows that he won’t be able to do it by himself (Toss me Aragorn moment).

BALIN, the elder dwarf always accepts your help with a smile, whenever his younger brother isn’t around he turns to you. At first, he was bashful, he came to you with an awkward smile and he shuffled on his feet as you helped him with a book he needed but with time the dwarf got comfortable and began asking you rather than his brother: “You are the tallest of us, dearie, no need to ask Dwalin when I’ve got you!” He says with a smile.

Balin always invites you to tea and pastries afterwards so you always accept his requests with a smile.

You get to see Dwalin being stubborn while he uses a stool. That always makes you smile: Dwalin on a stool.

Balin tells you embarrassing anecdotes of the members of the company whilst having tea. You adore spending time with the elder dwarf, who knew that Thorin approved the signs request (suggested by some dwarrow from the Iron Hills to hang signs over the kingdom’s walls to prevent others from getting lost in the grand dwarven city) just because he got lost whilst returning home from his office?

FILI tries to only ask for help when he knows that you are free or have nothing else to do, he doesn’t want to bother you unless totally necessary. Like many others of the company, if he knows that you are not free for the evening he will grab a stool or get on his tiptoes to grab whatever he needs, however, there’s time that even that can’t help him get what he needs.

Imagine making your way to Fili’s study to ask him to sign some papers you have recently got from Balin when you see that his door is slightly open, with a frown you walk to his study and pop your head inside. Your eyes dart across the room looking for the dwarven prince when you see him on top of a stool wiggling his fingers and on his tiptoes. You suppress your laugh as you continue staring at the blond dwarf, you find him to be endearing just now. You hear him curse in Khuzdul as he tries to reach for a scroll that is placed way too high for him (even if he is on top of a stool!)Fili sighs and steps off the chair before leaving it in its place.

When he lifts his eyes, he meets yours. Both of you stare at the other in silence, suddenly, Fili’s cheeks grow red and he frowns his brows, the tips of his lips drop as he pouts at you. You smile, your eyes twinkle with amusement as you walk to the desired item, get on your tiptoes and grab the scroll he wanted to get, the prince sighs dejectedly before thanking you, “Thanks, lass. Sorry for bothering you.”

“It’s okay, Fee. You don’t bother me.” The smile that the prince gives you makes your stomach flutter.

KILI tends to ask for a lot of favours, as soon as he sees something that is higher than he expected, he calls for you…even if he could reach it just by getting on his tiptoes! The dwarf could be an actor, he is very dramatic…

“Y/N! Come quick! I need your help!” His voice sounds desperate, with a slight hint of concern and uneasiness, you frown and make your way to his study through the sliding door that divides his and Fili’s studies. Once you enter the prince’s office you find him with his palms on his face as he sits on the floor, gasping for breath. Your eyes widen and you practically run to his aid, you take his face into your hands as you crouch by his side; his brows are furrowed and his eyes closed, “Gods, Kee, are you okay?! Someone fetch Oin!”

Before you are even able to rise, the dwarf grabs your elbow and shakes his head, his locks sticking on his sweaty forehead, “Y/N, lass, could you do me a favour?” Concerned you shake your head eagerly, his hands raised to reach yours and you grab him before giving them a reassuring squeeze. The dwarven prince smiles slightly before his eyes turn upwards, you follow his gaze and frown. “Could…could you maybe hand me that book? I can’t reach it.”

BOMBUR is always happy to have a helping hand in the kitchens, whether you help him prepare lunch, wash the dishes or help him grab something he can’t reach, the round dwarf always gives you a smile and thanks you for your hard work.

He sometimes bakes you pies in thanks, other times he invites you to lunch at his house.

Bombur is a sweetheart.

Bofur and Nori are the same as Thorin and Dwalin, they don’t try to make it that obvious and sometimes they get on their tiptoes or grab a stool just like the rest of the company, however, whenever they know you are around they always ask for help with a mischievous glint on their eyes.

BOFUR: 

Imagine making your way home when you meet the hatted dwarf, he carries his signature smile as he approaches you. Though you are happy to help the miner you can’t help but be suspicious, he always tries to dismiss your aid unless totally necessary, so why did he want you to get him a bottle of red wine on the top shelf of the winery? He could grab it just fine with a stool. “Thanks again, lassie, me back hurts ‘lots today.”

You raise your hand to grab the wine, your other hand leans on the pillar where the shelves are hung upon. When you grab the bottle and turn to the dwarf you see him smirking at you, “Thanks lass, asked ya for sum’ wine an’ you even gave meh a full display of wut ya hav’ to offer. Can’t say I’m mad ‘bout it.” He winks at you and you stare dumbfounded at him before you realise what he meant; you had decided to wear pants today that made your arse look great in them…you had literally displayed your arse to this cheeky dwarf. God dammit Bofur!

NORI: 

“A bit to the left–meh left Y/N not yers, right…Oh! Perfect!” You groan and hang the drawing on the wall. Nori had asked you to help him with some things at his home–apparently wanted to replace some of the paintings on the wall with others he had recently acquired (robbed) from the market. You had been helping the thief for the entire morn with no time to catch a breath.

“Thanks, dove. Yer big help.” You nod tiredly at the thief before you lean on the wall and gasp for breath, you barely register the dwarf disappearing into the kitchen and coming back with a  glass of water, he hands it to you, you give him a smile that he mirrors. The two of you stand in silence as you relax after a long day of hanging things on the wall, it was way more tiresome than it looked. You turn to the dwarf and stare at him, he appears to be thinking, “Nori, can I ask–”

“What is all of this, nadad. And WHERE are my paintings!” Dori’s infuriated voice sounds from the hallway, the two of you stare at each other, Nori smiles and shrugs and you stare at him, mouth open and brows furrowed.

“Nori–”

“You better start runnin, lass.”

“What? But Dori–”

“RUN, RUN FOR MAHAL’S SAKE!”

Turns out that those paintings had been Dori’s, his younger brother had thrown every single one of them away…claiming they were too ugly…You decide to never help Nori again.

BIFUR still doesn’t speak in Westron, the dwarf gives you a smile and grunt in thanks when you grab him some wood that was way too high or when you help him stock his wooden toys on the top shelves of his shop.

When you started helping him he always growled something at you in his ancient dialect, you asked Bofur sometime later what that meant and he told you that Bifur was thanking you for your help.

After that, you asked the hatted dwarf to teach you the word: “You are welcome.” in his native language. You will never forget the expression on Bifur’s face when you said those words, his eyes wide and his mouth slightly open as he registered your words. Afterwards, you received a smile and a pat on your shoulder before you were handed a wooden bird made by him.

DORI always shoos you away when you try to help him grab something, he claims that even if he is nearing old age he is able to get on a stool to get whatever item he wants. At first, you insisted on lending a hand but after seeing how he whooped Nori with a spoon for calling him short and “old man” you decided against it. 

The silver-haired dwarf was really prideful and never asked for help unless totally necessary.

ORI stutters when asking you to help him fetch some books or scrolls that are way too high for him to reach, the young scribe is always red-faced when he asks for a favour and he feels extremely self-conscious of his height. You never cease to tell him that it’s okay to ask for help when needed, you even go as far as to pretend you don’t know where some books are in the library (even though you work there part-time) so Ori can help you.

He always gives you a bright smile and practically skips to where the book or scroll is situated before handing it to you. “Thank Mahal I’m not the only one bothering others,” he says.

After you help him grab an item he needs to document the journey you shared before reclaiming the mountain, you always receive a handmade item to thank you for your help: one time it was a scarf, another time it was a pair of mittens…the scribe is always grateful for your aid.

Frodo Baggins, Hobbit? Maura Labingi, Kuduk. Meriadoc Brandybuck is Kalimac Brandagamba. Rivendell is Karningul. ect ect.

Related, here's a poorly made map (no frills and a lot of missing steps/info) of the language development in terms of influence: