View source for The Tree of Tongues

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[[Image:The Tree of Tongues.jpg|thumb|225px|''The Tree of Tongues'' manuscript by Tolkien]]
The '''Tree of Tongues''' is a sketch by [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] found in the chapter "[[The Lhammas]]" of ''[[The Lost Road and Other Writings]]''. It shows the relationship between the multitude of languages described in that section of the book. Three similar sketches entitled ''Table of the Descent of Tongues'' are included with the ''Tengwesta Qenderinwa'' in [[Parma Eldalamberon 18]], some dating later than those in [[The Lhammas]].<ref>{{PE|18}}, pp. 28-9, 81</ref>

The later revisions of the [[legendarium]] show a considerably different and a bit simplified history of the languages. For example, we know from ''[[The Silmarillion]]'' that the [[Elvish]] languages do not descend from Valarin, taught to them by [[Oromë]], but from [[Primitive Quendian]], spoken before Oromë found the [[Elves]].

==Structure==
{{familytree/start}}
{{Familytree| | | | | | | | | VA | | | | | |VA=[[Valarin]]}}
{{Familytree| | |,|-|-|-|-|v|-|^|-|v|-|-|-|-|-|.|}}
{{Familytree| | LV | | | ORO | | AU | | | | MEL |LV=Language of the [[Valarindi]]|ORO=[[Oromë]]|AU=[[Aulë]]|MEL=[[Melko]]}}
{{Familytree| | |:| | | | |!| | | |!| | | | | |!|}}
{{Familytree| | |:| | | | QU | | KH | | | | ORC |QU=languages of the [[Quendi]]|KH=[[Khuzdul]]|ORC=Orcish languages}}
{{Familytree| | |:| | | |)|-|.| | |L|~|V|~|~|~|J|}}
{{Familytree| | |:| | | |!| LEM |~|~|ToM|LEM=[[Avarin|Lemberin]]|ToM=[[Mannish|Tongues]] of [[Man]]}}
{{Familytree| | |:| | | |)|-|-|-|-|.|}}
{{Familytree| | |:| | | | ELD | | LAI |ELD=[[Eldarin]]|LAI=Language of the [[Green-elves|Laiqendi]]}}
{{Familytree| | |:| |,|-|-|v|^|.| | |)|-| DAN |~| WM |DAN=[[Nandorin|Danian]]|WM=[[Taliska]]}}
{{Familytree| | |:| LIN | NOL | TEL | OSS |LIN=[[Lindarin]]|NOL=[[Old Noldorin|Noldorin]]|TEL=[[Telerin]]|OSS=[[Ossiriandeb]]}}
{{Familytree| | |:| | |]|[| | |)|-|-|-|.|}}
{{Familytree| | QUE |-|(|!| | |!| | | IL |-|v|-| DOR|QUE=[[Qenya]]|IL=[[Ilkorin]]|DOR=[[Doriathrin]]}}
{{Familytree| | | | | |!|!| | |!| | | | | | FAL |FAL=[[Falathrin]]|}}
{{Familytree| | | | LIN | KOR |+|-| NOL |LIN=[[Lindarin]]|KOR=[[Kornoldorin]]|NOL=Exilic [[Noldorin]]}}
{{Familytree| | | | |!| | |!| |!| |,|^|-|v|-|-|v|-|-|v|-|.}}
{{Familytree| | | | |`|v|-|'| |!| MIT | GON | HIM | NAR | THR |MIT=[[Mithrim]]|GON=[[Gondolin]]|HIM=[[Himring]]|NAR=[[Nargothrond|Narog]]|THR=[[Thrall-Noldoli|Thralls]]}} 
{{Familytree| | | | | |!| | | |!| | | |,|^|-|-|.|}}
{{Familytree| | | | | ELD | | TEL | | NOL | | GNO|ELD=Eldarin (in Valinor)|TEL=Telerin (in Valinor)|NOL=Noldorin (in Tol Eressëa)|GNO=[[Gnomish]]}}
{{familytree/end}}

[[Category:Linguistics|Tree of Tongues, The]]

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