Sindarin
Sindarin is one of the fictional languages devised by J. R. R. Tolkien for use in his fantasy stories set in Arda, primarily in Middle-earth. Sindarin is one of the many languages spoken by the Elves, called the "Eledhrim" or "Edhellim" in Sindarin. The word "Sindarin" is itself a Quenya form, as the Sindar, or "Grey Elves" themselves did not have a name for it, likely simply calling it "Edhellen" (Elvish).

Called in English "Grey-Elvish" or "Grey-Elven", it was the language of the Grey Elves of Beleriand. These were Elves of the Third Clan who remained behind in Beleriand after the Great Journey. Their language became estranged from that of their kin who sailed over sea. Sindarin derives from an earlier language called Common Telerin, which evolved from Common Eldarin, the tongue of the Eldar before their divisions, e.g., those Elves who decided to follow the Vala Oromë and undertook the Great March to Valinor. Even before that the Eldar Elves spoke the original speech of all Elves, or Primitive Quendian.

In the Third Age (the setting of "The Lord of the Rings"), Sindarin was the language most commonly spoken by most Elves in the Western part of Middle-earth. Sindarin is the language usually referred to as "the Elf-Tongue" or "Elven-Tongue" in "The Lord of the Rings". When the Quenya-speaking Noldor returned to Middle-earth, they adopted the Sindarin language. Quenya and Sindarin were related, with many cognate words but differing greatly in grammar and structure. Sindarin is said to be more changeful than Quenya, and there were during the First Age a number of regional dialects. The tongue used in Doriath (home of Thingol, King of the Sindar), known as Doriathrin, was said by many Grey-elves to be the highest and most noble form of the language.

In the Second Age, many Men of Númenor spoke Sindarin fluently. Their descendants, the Dúnedain of Gondor and Arnor, continued to speak Sindarin in the Third Age. Sindarin was first written using the Cirth, an Elvish runic alphabet. Later, it was usually written in the Tengwar (Quenya for 'letters') – a script invented by the elf Fëanor. Tolkien based the phonology and some of the grammar of Sindarin on Literary Welsh, and Sindarin displays some of the consonant mutations that characterize the Celtic languages. The language was also influenced to a lesser degree by Old English and Old Norse.

The Dwarves rarely taught their language to others, so they learned both Quenya and Sindarin in order to communicate with the Elves, most notably the Noldor and Sindar. By the Third Age, however, the Dwarves were estranged from the Elves and no longer routinely learned their language, preferring to use Westron.
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the fictional languages
Concept
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J. R. R. Tolkien
PER
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Arda
Concept
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Middle-earth
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Elves
Concept
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Quenya
MEDIA
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Sindar, or "Grey Elves"
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Beleriand
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Great Journey
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Common Telerin
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Common Eldarin
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Eldar
UNK
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Oromë
ORG
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Valinor
MEDIA
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Primitive Quendian
MEDIA
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Third Age
UNK
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The Lord of the Rings
MEDIA
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Quenya
MEDIA
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Noldor
PER
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dialects
Concept
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Doriath
LOC
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Thingol
MEDIA
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Doriathrin
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Second Age
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Men
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Númenor
MEDIA
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Dúnedain
EVE
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Gondor
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Cirth
ORG
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Tengwar
Concept
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Fëanor
MEDIA
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phonology
Concept
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Literary
UNK
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Welsh
Concept
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Celtic languages
Concept
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Old English
Concept
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Old Norse
Concept
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their language
MEDIA
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Westron
Concept
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Sindarin
MEDIA
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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Sindarin
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part of
creator
writing system
writing system
languages spoken, written or signed