Editing Black Speech (section)

=== Objective ===

The Black Speech is one of the more fragmentary languages in ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]''. Unlike his extensive work on the [[Elvish languages (Middle-earth)|Elvish languages]], Tolkien did not write songs or poems in the Black Speech, apart from the One Ring inscription. He stated that:<ref name="Parma Eldalamberon">{{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 |pages=11–12}}</ref>

{{Quote box
 | title  = Agglutination
 | quote  = In [[agglutinative language]]s like [[Turkish language|Turkish]], the meaning of a word can be understood by breaking it down into the base word and its word endings. For example, in the word ''evlerimizde'' ''[[wikt:ev#Turkish|ev]]'' means "house", ''[[wikt:-ler#Turkish|-ler]]'' indicates plurality, ''[[wikt:-imiz#Turkish|-imiz]]'' means "our", and ''[[wikt:-de#Turkish|-de]]'' means "in". Therefore, ''evlerimizde'' means "in our houses".
 | source = ''Turkish Textbook''<ref name="TT">{{cite web |title=What is aggulutination? |url=https://www.turkishtextbook.com/adding-word-endings-agglutination/ |website=Turkish Textbook |date=29 November 2021 |access-date=8 April 2023}}</ref>
 | width  = 40%
 | align  = right
}}

{{blockquote|The Black Speech was not intentionally modelled on any style, but was meant to be self consistent, very different from Elvish, yet organized and expressive, as would be expected of a device of Sauron before his complete corruption. It was evidently an [[agglutinative language]].&nbsp;... I have tried to play fair linguistically, and it is meant to have a meaning not be a mere casual group of nasty noises, though an accurate transcription would even nowadays only be printable in the higher and artistically more advanced form of literature. According to my taste such things are best left to Orcs, ancient and modern.}}

Tolkien's attitude to the Black Speech is revealed in one of his letters. From a fan, Tolkien received a goblet with the Ring inscription on it in Black Speech. Because the Black Speech in general is an accursed language, and the Ring inscription in particular is a vile spell, Tolkien never drank out of the goblet, and used it only as an ashtray.<ref>{{harvnb|Carpenter|2023|loc=#343 to Sterling Lanier, 21 November 1972 }}</ref>