Black speech

In the world of the Ground of the Medium imagined by J.R.R. Tolkien, the black speech ( Black Speech ) is the language of the Mordor, created by Sauron during the Second Age to be the single language of all its servants (Orques, Troll S, Nazgûl, etc). It was however a failure, and after its defeat at the end of this age, the black speech was forgotten of all, except Nazgûl. However, the Orcs took again good number of words of this language in their various jargons, like the term ghâsh “fire”. At the end of the Third Age, when Sauron returned openly in Mordor (2951 T.A.), this language returned of use, to disappear again with the final fall from Sauron, in 3019 T.A.

It is in this “rough” language that are the worms engraved on the Single Anneau, to date the only known example of sentence in black speech:

Ash nazg durbatulûk,
ash nazg gimbatul,
ash nazg thrakatulûk
agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.

(a Ring to control them all, a Ring to find them, a Ring to bring them all and in darkness to bind them.)

The Alphabet employed to retranscribe these terms is only one mode of the Tengwar, and not an alphabet suitable for the black speech.

Tolkien practically did not give elements on the structure or the grammar of the black speech, but delivered only one score of words of vocabulary.

The group of Tolkien Austrian metal Summoning wrote a song besides, in black speech, entitled Mirdautas Vras.

Random links: